South Pacific
division
ADULT SABBATH SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY GUIDE
ORIGINS
Jan
n
Feb
n
Mar 2013
*EAQ130101*
*EAQ130101*
Where legally possible, offerings will go to these projects; otherwise special arrangement will be made with the
General Conference for distribution of funds based on the laws of the countries where these offerings are collected.
FRENCH
POLYNESIA
FIJI
NEW ZEALAND
PAC IFIC
OCEAN
INDIAN
OCEAN
D
a
r
l
i
n
g
Tasman Sea
Great Australian
Bight
AUSTRALIA
NEW
CALEDONIA
SOLOMON
ISLANDS
TONGA
SAMOA
PITCAIRN
ISLAND
INDONESIA
COOK
ISLANDS
PAPUA
NEW GUINEA
Suva
Lae
Unions Churches Companies Members Population
Australian 421 98 56,741 22,674,000
New Zealand Pacific 135 60 17,998 4,970,000
Papua New Guinea 904 2,812 247,756 6,888,000
Trans Pacific 461 581 101,084 2,137,000
Totals 1,921 3,551 423,579 36,669,000
Mission Projects
Our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will help the
South Pacific Division with these projects:
l Build clinics in at least four isolated areas in Papua New Guinea
l Purchase solar-powered MP3 players (God Pods) for Papua New
Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu
l CHILDREN’S PROJECT: Provide 15,000 Bibles for children in the
islands of the South Pacific to use and share with their families
For more information, visit www.AdventistMission.org
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Map not drawn to scale
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Contents
1 Jesus, Creator of Heaven and Earth—December 29–January 4 6
2 Creation: Forming the World—January 5–11 14
3 The Creation Completed—January 12–18 22
4 Creation, a Biblical Theme—January 19–25 30
5 Creation and Morality—January 26–February 1 38
6 Creation and the Fall—February 2–8 46
7 Through a Glass, Darkly—February 9–15 56
8 Jesus, Provider and Sustainer—February 16–22 64
9 Marriage: A Gift From Eden—February 23–March 1 72
10 Stewardship and the Environment—March 2–8 80
11 Sabbath: A Gift From Eden—March 9–15 88
12 Creation and the Gospel—March 16–22 96
13 Creation, Again—March 23–29 104
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Sharon Thomas-Crews
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Wendy Marcum
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Lars Justinen
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Editor
Clifford R. Goldstein
Associate Editor
Soraya Homayouni
Publication Manager
Lea Alexander Greve
The Adult Sabbath School Bible Study Guide is prepared by the Office of
the Adult Bible Study Guide of the General Conference of Seventh-day
Adventists. The preparation of the guides is under the general direction of
the Sabbath School Publications Board, a subcommittee of the General
Conference Administrative Committee (ADCOM), publisher of the Bible
study guides. The published guide reflects the input of worldwide evaluation
committees and the approval of the Sabbath School Publications Board and
thus does not solely or necessarily represent the intent of the author(s).
Sabbath
School
Personal
Ministries
pen the Bible to the first book, first chapter, first line. Notice: it says nothing
about Christ dying for our sins, nothing about the Second Coming, nothing
about His bodily resurrection from the grave. It says nothing about the state of
the dead, the Day of Atonement, or even the seventh-day Sabbath.
The first words of the Bible don’t talk about these teachings because they, and the
truths associated with them, are meaningless apart from what the first words of the Bible
do talk about—and that is, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”
Creation is the foundational truth of Scripture. All other biblical teachings—the
Incarnation, the Cross, and the Second Coming—are founded upon the truth that
our world was created by the Lord.
That’s why Creation appears not only in the opening pages of the Bible but in
the first five books of Moses, in the prophets, in the Psalms, in the Gospels, in the
Epistles, in Acts, and in Revelation. And, in almost all cases, the theological context
demands that it be taken literally.
For instance, Paul wrote that “death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over
those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam,
who is a type of Him who was to come” (Rom. 5:14, NKJV). Paul not only links a
literal Adam to a literal Jesus, but his context in Romans 5 ties that link to the plan
of salvation, a crucial doctrine that we understand in the most literal sense, as well:
we are fallen beings who face eternal destruction or eternal life.
In the Beginning of the BeginningIn the Beginning of the Beginning
O
2
And here’s Jesus Himself quoting from Genesis 1 and 2: “And He answered and said
to them, ‘Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning “made them
male and female,” and said, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and
be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh”? So then, they are no longer
two but one flesh’ ” (Matt. 19:4–6, NKJV). If Jesus accepted and taught the Creation
account as literal, how can those who claim to be His followers do otherwise?
Our name, Seventh-day Adventist, itself bears direct witness to a six-day Creation.
Though some voices may urge us to incorporate evolu-
tion into our theology, Seventh-day Adventistism and
Darwinism are inherently contradictory. Logically, one
cannot hold both views at the same time.
Thus, this quarter’s lessons delve into the doctrine
of creation as depicted in Genesis 1 and 2 and explores
its implications for a number of our beliefs—includ-
ing morality, sin, marriage, stewardship, and more.
Although working on the assumption that the story is
literal, the quarter will show, again and again, how the
central message of the Bible is built upon the historical
truth of the Creation story.
Take, for instance, the gospel. According to Scripture,
humans were created better than we are now. Jesus came
to rescue us from death brought by the sin of Adam and Eve. But in an evolutionary
model, the Lord incarnates into an evolved ape, created through the vicious and pain-
fully murderous cycle of natural selection, all in order to abolish death, “the last enemy”
(1 Cor. 15:26). But how can death be the “enemy” if it was one of God’s chosen means
for creating humans? The Lord must have expended plenty of dead Homo erectus, Homo
heidelbergensis, and Homo neanderthalensis in order to finally get one in His own image
(Homo sapiens). If evolution were true, then Jesus came to save humankind from the
process that God used to create it in the first place.
We can see here that mixing biblical truths with nonbiblical views generates logi-
cal absurdities that should be of concern to the honest seeker of truth. As we go
through this quarter, we’ll see even more reasons why a literal six-day Creation is
essential to all that we believe and why to compromise on Creation is to undermine
the basis of the gospel and the teachings that make us what we are.
L. James Gibson is director of the Geoscience Research Institute (www.grisda.org) in
Loma Linda, California. He has written numerous articles on the relationship between
Creation and science.
As we go through
this quarter, we’ll
see even more rea-
sons . . . why to com-
promise on Creation
is to undermine the
basis of the gospel
and the teachings
that make us what
we are.
3
Where faith, ideas, and life come together
www.intersection.adventist.org
Intersection is a half-hour, weekly television
program broadcast internationally
by Hope Channel. Find local listings at
www.hopechannel.tv
A production of the Office of the President and the
Communication Department of the Seventh-day Adventist World Church.
6
L e s s o n
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*December 29–January 4
Jesus, Creator of Heaven
and Earth
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Gen. 1:1; Heb. 11:3; Ps.
19:1–3; John 1:1–3, 14; Col. 1:15, 16; John 2:7–11.
Memory Text:
“In the beginning God created the heavens
and the earth” (Genesis 1:1, NKJV).
O
nly something greater than what it creates could have cre-
ated it. Thus, only a Being greater than the universe could
have created the universe. And that Being is the God who is
revealed in the Bible, the God whom we worship and serve because,
among other things, He is our Creator.
We also learn that this God—the One who created the universe, the
One who has spun those billions of galaxies across the expanse of the
cosmos—is the same One who came to earth, to live among us as a
human being and, even more amazing, to bear in Himself the punish-
ment for our sins.
Sometimes we hear of things that are “too good to be true.” What
could be better, though, for us as sinful beings in a fallen, painful
world than to know the wonderful truth of our Creator’s love, a love
so great that He would come down in the person of Christ and link
Himself to each of us with ties that never can be broken?
In response to such a wondrous truth, how are we to live our
lives?
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 5.
7
Sunday
December 30
In the Beginning
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen.
1:1).
There are many deep truths in that simple text, one of the most pro-
found being that the universe itself had a beginning. While that idea
might not seem so radical to us today, it goes against the long-held
belief in an eternally existing creation. Not until the twentieth century
when the “Big Bang” model of origins took hold did the notion that
the universe had a beginning gain general acceptance. Until then many
believed that it had always existed. Many people resisted the concept
of the universe having been created because that implied some sort
of Creator. (In fact, the name “Big Bang” was intended to mock
the notion of a created universe.) But the evidence that the universe
had a beginning has become so strong that nearly all scientists have
accepted it, at least for now (scientific views, even those once deemed
sacrosanct, are often changed or refuted).
Read
Hebrews 11:3. What does this verse tell us about God and the
creation of the universe?
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As with Genesis 1:1, Hebrews 11:3 is full of mystery and things
that are unexplainable by our present knowledge. Yet, the text does
seem to tell us that the universe was not formed from preexisting mat-
ter. The universe was created by the power of God’s Word; that is,
both matter and energy were brought into existence by God’s power.
Creation from nothing is known as creation ex nihilo. We often
credit humans with the creation of various things, but humans are
incapable of creating from nothing. We can change the form of pre-
existing matter, but we have no power to create ex nihilo. Only the
supernatural power of God can do that. This is one of the most dra-
matic differences between God and humans, and it reminds us that our
very existence depends on the Creator.
In fact, the verb created in Genesis 1:1 comes from a Hebrew
root word that is used only in reference to the creative activity of
God. Only God, not humans, can do that kind of creating (see also
Rom. 4:17).
Why is a supernatural Creator, One who exists above and
beyond the Creation, the only logical explanation for the
Creation? Bring your answer to class on Sabbath.
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Monday
December 31
The Heavens Declare
“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night
unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language,
where their voice is not heard” (Ps. 19:1–3, see also Rom. 1:19,
20). How have you experienced the truth of these texts? How has
modern science helped us to even more appreciate the power and
wisdom of God as Creator?
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Not just any kind of universe would be capable of supporting life.
In fact, it seems that the universe must be extremely well-designed
in order for life to exist. First, the building blocks of all matter—
atoms—must be stable enough in order for stable material objects
to be created. The stability of atoms depends on the forces that hold
the parts of the atoms together. Atoms contain charged particles that
both attract and repel each other. The forces of attraction and repul-
sion must be carefully balanced. If the attractive forces are too strong,
only large atoms can form, and there would be no hydrogen. Without
hydrogen, there would be no water, and thus no life. If the repulsive
forces are too strong, only small atoms can form, such as hydrogen,
and then there would be no carbon or oxygen. Without oxygen, there
can be no water and no life. Carbon is also essential for all forms of
life as we know it.
Not only must the atoms be stable, but they must be able to interact
with one another in order to form vast numbers of different chemical
compounds. There must be a balance between the forces that hold the
molecules together and the energy required to break up the molecule
in order to permit the chemical reactions upon which life depends.
The precise fitness of our universe for life has gained the admiration
of scientists and has led many of them to comment that the universe
appears to be designed by an intelligent Being.
The world also must have been wisely designed in order for life to
exist. The range of temperatures must be compatible with life; so, the
distance from the sun, the speed of rotation, and the composition of
the atmosphere must all be in appropriate balance. Many other details
of the world must be carefully designed. Truly, God’s wisdom is
shown in what He created.
Tuesday
9
January 1
The Power of His Word
Read
Jeremiah 51:15, 16 and Psalm 33:6, 9. In addition to wisdom,
what other attribute of God is mentioned in the Creation? How
was this attribute expressed in Creation? More important, what
are the implications of this truth for us?
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Though we cannot know exactly how God created, we are told
that it was through His powerful Word. All the energy in all parts
of the universe had its origin in the Word of God. All the energy in
all our fuels came from God’s power. All the gravity throughout the
universe, every star guided in its course, and every black hole result
from God’s power.
Perhaps the greatest amount of energy is within the atom itself. We
are justifiably impressed by the power of nuclear weapons, in which
a small amount of matter is converted into a large amount of energy.
Yet, scientists tell us that all matter contains large amounts of energy.
If a small amount of matter can produce the vast energy of a nuclear
weapon, consider the amount of energy stored in the material of the
entire world! But that is as nothing when compared with the energy
stored in the matter of the universe. Imagine the power that God uti-
lized to bring the universe into existence.
Many scientists believe that anything God may do in the creation is
restricted by the “laws of nature,” but this idea is contrary to the Bible.
God is not restricted by natural law; instead, God has determined
natural law. God’s power has not always followed the patterns that
we call the “laws of nature.”
For example, one of the fundamental “laws of nature” is the “Law
of Conservation of Matter and Energy.” This law states that the total
amount of matter and energy in the universe remains constant. But how
could the universe have appeared from nothing if this law were invio-
lable? God’s creative word is not bound by the “laws” of science. God
is sovereign over all His creation and is free to carry out His will.
Dwell (the best that you can) on the size of the universe. Think
about the incredible power needed in order to create it. And to
think that the God who wields such power loves us, even died for
us. How can you learn to draw comfort from this amazing truth?
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Wednesday
10
January 2
Jesus, Creator of Heaven and Earth
Read
John 1:1–3, 14; Colossians 1:15, 16; Hebrews 1:1, 2. How do
the New Testament writers identify the Creator? What are the
implications of the answer?
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John refers to Jesus as the Word (“Logos”) and equates Him with
God. More specifically, Jesus is the One through whom all things
were created. In John’s day, the term logos was commonly used
to represent the creative principle. John’s early readers would be
familiar with the concept of logos as a creative principle or even as a
creator. John applied this familiar concept to Jesus, identifying Him as
the true Creator. Jesus, the Logos, the Incarnate One who lived among
us, was not only present in the beginning, He was the One by whom
the universe was created. This means that we could read Genesis 1:1
as “In the beginning, Jesus created the heavens and the earth.”
Paul’s words in Colossians 1 resonate with those of John in the
identification of the Creator as Jesus Christ. By Him, all things were
created. Paul adds two other attributes of Jesus. First, He is the image
of the invisible God. In our sinful state, we cannot see God the Father,
but we can see Jesus. If we want to know what God is like, we can
study the life of Jesus (John 14:9). Second, Paul calls Jesus the “first-
born” of creation (Col. 1:15). In this context, “firstborn” does not
refer to origin but to status. The firstborn was the head of the family
and the heir of the property. Jesus was the “firstborn” in the sense
that, as Creator and through the Incarnation (His taking upon Himself
our humanity), He is the rightful head of the human family. Jesus was
not a created being; rather, from eternity He was one with the Father.
Hebrews 1:1, 2 repeats the same points as in the Colossians pas-
sage. Jesus is appointed heir of all things and is the One by whom the
world was created. In addition, He is the exact representation of the
Father’s nature, another way of stating that He is the image of God.
How would you respond if someone were to ask you, “What
is your God like?” What justification could you give for your
answer?
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Thursday
11
January 3
The Creator Among Us
Read
John 2:7–11, 6:8–13, 9:1–34. What do these texts reveal about
the creative power of God?
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Each of these miracles gives us a glimpse of God’s power over the
material world that He Himself created.
First, what kind of process would be required to change water
directly into wine? None that we know of. Indeed, it took an act out-
side of the laws of nature, at least as we now know them, to do what
Jesus did here.
In the miracle of the fish and loaves, Jesus started with five loaves
and two small fish and ended with enough to feed a multitude and have
12 baskets of leftovers. All the food was made of atoms and molecules.
At the end, there were many times more atoms and molecules of food
than when Jesus started to feed the crowd. From where did the addi-
tional molecules come, if not by the supernatural intervention of God?
Furthermore, what physical changes happened to the blind man
when he was healed? He was blind from birth; thus, his brain had
never been stimulated to form images from the messages sent by the
eye through the optic nerve. So, his brain had to be rewired in order
to process the incoming information, form images, and interpret
their meaning. Next, there was something wrong with the eye itself.
Perhaps some photoreceptor molecules were produced incorrectly
as a result of a mutation in his DNA. Or perhaps some mutation had
occurred at birth in the genes that control the development of the
parts of the eye—the retina, optic nerve, lens, and so on. Or perhaps
some mechanical damage had occurred that prevented the eye from
functioning properly.
Whatever the details of the man’s blindness, the words of Jesus
caused molecules to form in appropriate places, forming functional
receptors, neuronal connections, and brain cells so that light entering
the eye would form an image, and the man would have the ability to
recognize images that he had never before seen.
Miracles are wonderful when they happen, but what is the dan-
ger of making your faith dependent upon them? Upon what,
then, must our faith depend?
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friday
January 4
Further Study:
“The work of creation can never be explained by
science. What science can explain the mystery of life?
“The theory that God did not create matter when He brought the
world into existence is without foundation. In the formation of our
world, God was not indebted to pre-existing matter. On the contrary,
all things, material or spiritual, stood up before the Lord Jehovah at
His voice and were created for His own purpose. The heavens and all
the host of them, the earth and all things therein, are not only the work
of His hand; they came into existence by the breath of His mouth.”
—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8, pp. 258, 259.
“Just how God accomplished the work of creation he has never
revealed to men; human science cannot search out the secrets of
the Most High. His creative power is as incomprehensible as his
existence.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 113.
Discussion Questions:
l In class, discuss your answer to Sunday’s final question.
l Science talks about what it calls “anthropic coincidences”
(from the Greek word anthropos for “man”), the incredibly
fine-tuned balance of forces in nature that make it possible for
human life to exist. Notice, though, the built-in bias revealed in
the word coincidences. If you don’t believe in God, you have to
attribute these amazing balances to mere coincidence. Why is
the belief that these balances were the product of a Creator God
a more reasonable explanation than to simply call them “coin-
cidences”?
l Consider the love of the Creator as He formed Adam and
Eve and provided them with a beautiful garden home, knowing
that He Himself would suffer and die on Calvary at the hands
of the race He was creating. What do we learn about God’s love
from the decision that He made to go ahead with the Creation
anyway?
l How does the “Big Bang” theory compare with the Creation
statement in Genesis 1:1? Might the “Big Bang” be a descrip-
tion of the way in which the universe came into existence at
God’s Word? What issues or problems do you see in this idea?
Why would it be dangerous to link our theology to any scientific
theory, especially when science so often changes?
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S
tor
i n s i d e
13
The Powerful Sword
A pastor in a difficult, mostly non-Christian country was studying with
a young man who had shown an interest in knowing about Jesus. Things
were going well until the boy’s father returned home from prison, where
he had been serving a sentence for murder.
At first the young man’s father was impressed with the changes he
saw in his son. But when he learned that his son had been studying with
a Christian, he became furious. He felt he had to save his son from the
dangerous ideas Christians have.
The father tried talking to his son. When that didn’t work, he yelled;
then he beat his son. But the young man refused to give up his new faith
in Christ. His father knew if he kept on beating his son, he would soon kill
him. And what good would that do?
Then the father had an idea. He would kill the pastor instead. It would
be worth another prison sentence to save his son from the Christians’
heresy.
The father staked out the pastor’s house and learned his schedule. He
sharpened his long knife. When the time was right, he drove to the pas-
tor’s house, waited for him to get into his car, and then blocked the pas-
tor’s driveway with his own car. When the pastor got out of his car to see
what the problem was, the angry father grabbed him and forced him into
his own car.
The pastor recognized the man and guessed why he had attacked him.
The pastor tried to share some Bible verses with the man, but the man
yelled at him as he reached for his knife. Suddenly the man’s hand froze
in midair; his arm went numb, and he couldn’t move it.
The pastor calmly continued sharing scripture with the man until his
attacker began to weep.
A few months later the father was baptized. As the members publicly
welcomed him into the church, he asked for the microphone. “I have a
gift for the pastor,” he said. Carefully he unwrapped the long, sharp knife
and said, “This is the sword I was going to use to kill you. But you have a
longer, stronger, sharper sword—a two-edged one, which is the Word of
God. That sword killed the old man in me. I am now a new man. Praise
God!”
Your mission offerings help to reach people for Christ in some of the
most difficult regions of the world. Thank you for your support.
Homer TrecarTin is president of the Greater Middle East Union Mission.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
14
L e s s o n
2
*January 5–11
Creation: Forming the
World
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Gen. 1:1–13, Isa. 45:18,
1 John 1:5, Rev. 22:5, 2 Cor. 4:6, 2 Pet. 3:5, Job 38:4–6.
Memory Text:
“For thus says the Lord, who created the heav-
ens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who has
established it, who did not create it in vain, who formed it to be
inhabited: ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other’ ” (Isaiah 45:18,
NKJV).
S
cientists are increasingly impressed by the fitness of the world
for living creatures. And no wonder, for design and purpose are
affirmed throughout the Bible, beginning in Genesis 1. Starting
with a planet that was unformed and unfilled, God spent the first three
days forming the world for occupation and the last three filling it. This
week’s lesson focuses on those first three days of the Creation week.
Some scholars have objected to the idea that God would “impose”
a purpose on nature, arguing instead that He simply allowed the
material world to “be itself” and to develop by natural processes sup-
posedly inherent in itself. This is a common theme among those who
promote various forms of “theistic evolution.” Yet, such ideas are not
compatible with Scripture or with our understanding of Creation. The
universe has no inherent will of its own. The creation is not an entity
independent of God, but it is instead God’s chosen arena in which He
can express His love to the creatures that He has made.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 12.
15
Sunday
January 6
Without Form and Void
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The
earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face
of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of
the waters” (Gen. 1:1, 2, NKJV). What do these verses reveal about
the earth before the Lord began creating life on it?
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The Bible starts with the story of Creation, and the Creation story
starts with a statement that God is Creator. It then describes the condi-
tion of the world when God began to prepare it for occupancy. When
the story begins, the planet is already here but unformed, unfilled,
dark, and wet. The succeeding verses describe how God first formed
the world into an inhabitable place and then filled it with living
creatures. The text does not tell us exactly when the rocks and water
of the earth came into existence, only that the world had not always
been suitable for life. The world became fit for living creatures only
because God acted to make it so.
What
does Isaiah 45:18 teach us about God’s intention at Creation?
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When the earth was first brought into existence, it was unsuitable for
life. The Bible says nothing about the time period between the original
creation of the rocks and water and the creation of the environment and
the creatures. Some scholars think it might have been immediately; oth-
ers that it may have been after a long period of time.
The simple fact is, we don’t know, nor does it really matter.
Whatever the case, the material of the earth was created by God; then,
at the time of His choosing, He created a suitable environment for
life. The crucial point is that the Lord, who was not dependent upon
preexisting matter, used matter that He had at some point already cre-
ated, something that in its “primeval” state was tohu vabohu (“without
form and void”). Then, afterwards, through the power of His Word,
He created our inhabitable world.
Monday
16
January 7
Let There Be Light
“Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And
God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light
from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He
called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day
(Gen. 1:3–5, NKJV). What do these verses teach us about the first
day of Creation?
Numerous points can be inferred from this passage.
First, light appeared in response to God’s command. God’s word is
effective in determining the state of the Creation.
Second, the light was “good.” We may wonder why the text says
that God “saw” the light; is there any doubt that God sees every-
thing? The point is that the light made by God was good, even in
God’s eyes. We know that the light is good because God Himself
evaluated it as such.
Another point is that God divided the light from the darkness. Both
light and darkness are under God’s control, and neither one makes any
difference to His activity and knowledge (see Ps. 139:12). God gave
names to the dark and light portions of time, calling them “day” and
“night.” God has the right to give names to periods of time because
He is the Creator of time. As Sovereign over time, God is not limited
by time. Rather, time depends on God.
Another point of this passage is that there was a period of dark-
ness and a period of light that together comprised a day. Much has
been written about the meaning of “day” in the Creation story. We
will consider this question later, but we note in passing that the
first day was composed of a period of darkness and a period of
light, in the same way that we observe days now.
Also, light is one of the features that accompanies the presence of
God. We do not need to suppose that light was invented on the first
day of Creation, since God existed before the earth was created and
His presence is often associated with light (1 John 1:5, Rev. 22:5).
At Creation, light was introduced to the previously dark planet.
How, though, could there be day and night before the intro-
duction of the sun into the Creation account? Moses surely
knew the connection between the sun and daylight. Yet,
despite that obvious knowledge, he wrote what he did about
the light and darkness on the first day. God must have given
him knowledge about Creation that, at present, we don’t
understand, knowledge that cannot be discerned from look-
ing at the natural world. Why, though, shouldn’t we be sur-
prised that some things about Creation remain a mystery?
Tuesday
17
January 8
The Heaven Created
“Then God said, ‘Let there be a firmament in the midst of the
waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.’ Thus God
made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under
the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament;
and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. So the eve-
ning and the morning were the second day” (Gen. 1:6–8, NKJV).
God created the firmament, appointed its function, and gave it a
name, heaven. The function of the firmament (heaven) was to divide
the water below from the water above it. Today, we would probably
use the term “sky” and recognize the division of the sky into the atmo-
sphere, which is a part of our environment and the space beyond our
atmosphere where the sun, moon, and stars exist.
The atmosphere appears to be the portion of the “heaven” that was
formed on the second day of Creation. The atmosphere provides a
method for moving water uphill; water can evaporate and enter the
atmosphere, where it can be transported to any place on the earth.
Then it can be brought back to the surface, either through the mist as
described in Genesis 2:6 or as rain.
God named the firmament, signifying His sovereignty over it. The
act of naming implies that God is sovereign over space. Space does
not limit God’s actions in any way, because He created and rules it.
As with the lighting of the world on the first day, the creation of the
firmament was completed before the end of the second day, another
dark period of evening and a light period of morning.
Much discussion has centered on the meaning of the word firma-
ment. The Hebrew word raqia is sometimes used to describe a sheet
of metal that has been hammered into a thin sheet, hence the term
“firmament.” Critics have argued that the ancient Hebrews actually
believed there was a hard surface above the earth; thus, they argue,
because no such thing exists, the biblical account is wrong. But this is
faulty reasoning. The use of the word firmament, in that context, sim-
ply applies to the sky above—both the atmosphere and space itself.
We only have to look at the immediate context to know what is being
talked about. In Genesis the birds are described as flying on “the face
of the firmament” (Gen. 1:20, NKJV), and in another place the firma-
ment is where the sun and moon are seen (Gen. 1:14). Obviously, the
birds don’t fly in the part of the raqia where the sun and moon are.
Whatever the mysteries of the Creation narrative itself, one
point comes through very clearly: nothing is left to chance. Why
is that point important for us to know, especially at a time when
many believe that chance played a big role in our creation?
______________________________________________________
18
Wednesday
January 9
Space for Living
Read
Genesis 1:9–13. Try to envision the incredible creative power of
God as He is doing that which is described in this text. How does
this account give a logical answer to the old question, “Which
came first, the chicken or the egg?”
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Previous to this time, the earth was covered with water. In order to
provide living space for the humans that God planned to create, He
changed the surface of the earth to produce basins that received the
water and formed seas, allowing continents to appear. This involved a
third division of the physical features of the earth. (The first division
was between light and darkness; the second division was between
waters above from waters below; and the third division was between
dry land and seas.)
Also, for the third time, God gives names to the things that He has
divided. The dry land is called “earth,” and the gatherings of waters
are called “seas,” once again illustrating God’s sovereignty over
space. God examines the arrangement of land and seas and declares
it “good.”
A second Creation event is recorded for the third day of Creation.
The dry land provides space for God to place a food supply for the
creatures soon to be created. God calls forth plants from the dry
land (earth). Grass, herbs, and fruit trees are mentioned specifically.
These are to be the sources of food for terrestrial creatures. The text
does not indicate how many different kinds of plants were created,
but it does indicate that there was a diversity of plants from the
beginning. In fact, from what we see today, we know that there must
have been an incredible variety of these life forms. Also, Scripture
is clear that there is no single ancestor here from which all plants
evolved; instead, right from the start, there is a diversity of plant life.
The concept, fundamental to evolutionary biology, of a single plant
ancestor is contradictory to the biblical account.
Look at the incredible diversity of fruit and vegetables and
other edibles. How do they present powerful evidence of God’s
love for us? Why is it absurd to think that all these things were
created, as evolution teaches, by random processes?
______________________________________________________
19
Thursday
January 10
God’s All-Powerful Word
What
do the following texts teach us about the power of God’s
word?
2 Cor. 4:6 _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Isa. 55:11 _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
2 Pet. 3:5 _______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The Bible teaches that God created out of nothing (ex nihilo), by
the power of His Word and without conflict or resistance in any form.
This view of creation is unique to the Hebrews among all the peoples
of the ancient world. Most nonbiblical creation stories tell of conflict
and violence in creation. For example, the ancient Babylonians had
a creation story in which the monster Apsu and his consort Tiamat
produce a generation of deities that they then attempt to destroy, but
Tiamat is killed in the battle. Her body is divided into two parts, one
that formed the heavens and the other that formed the earth.
Modern men have also created a popular story of creation through
violence. According to this story, God willfully created a world in
which resources would be in short supply, causing competition among
individuals, with the result being that weaker individuals would be
eliminated by the stronger. Over time, according to this modern story,
organisms have become more and more complex, ultimately produc-
ing humans and all other living organisms from a common ancestor.
Yet, the “gods” of evolutionary theory (random mutation and natu-
ral selection) are not the same as the God of the Bible. The God of the
Bible is the Defender of the weak and the generous Provider for all
creatures. Death, suffering, and other evils were not caused by God;
on the contrary, they came as a natural result of rebellion against His
good rulership. The gods of evolutionary theory use competition and
elimination of the weak by the strong in order to create. Even worse,
they are responsible for death and suffering; indeed, death and suffer-
ing are their very means of creating.
Thus, Genesis 1 and 2 cannot, in any way, be harmonized with
modern evolutionary theory, which at its core opposes the biblical
account of Creation.
20
friday
January 11
Further Study:
Though Scripture doesn’t explicitly say it, we have
good biblical reasons for believing that the universe existed long
before life on earth began. First, in Job 38:4–6, God states that there
were living beings who shouted for joy when God formed the world.
This implies preexisting beings who lived in the universe before
the earth was created. The reference to an on-looking universe in
1 Corinthians 4:9 may refer to the same group of beings. Second,
the serpent was present in the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve
sinned. In Revelation 12:9, the serpent is identified as Satan, who
was thrown out of heaven. Jesus said that He saw this happen (Luke
10:18). Ezekiel 28:14, 15 describe the covering cherub, who was
perfect at first but eventually rebelled. This implies that there was
a period of time before Satan’s rebellion and that presumably Satan
lived in the universe also. These texts indicate that Adam and Eve
were not the first beings created.
“As the earth came forth from the hand of its Maker, it was exceed-
ingly beautiful. Its surface was diversified with mountains, hills, and
plains, interspersed with noble rivers and lovely lakes; but the hills
and mountains were not abrupt and rugged, abounding in terrific
steeps and frightful chasms, as they now do; the sharp, ragged edges of
earth’s rocky framework were buried beneath the fruitful soil, which
everywhere produced a luxuriant growth of verdure. There were no
loathsome swamps or barren deserts. Graceful shrubs and delicate
flowers greeted the eye at every turn. The heights were crowned with
trees more majestic than any that now exist. The air, untainted by
foul miasma, was clear and healthful. The entire landscape outvied in
beauty the decorated grounds of the proudest palace. The angelic host
viewed the scene with delight, and rejoiced at the wonderful works of
God.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 44.
Discussion Questions:
l Identify as many features as you can that show that the world
is designed.
l What reasons can you give to show how the theory of evolution
cannot be harmonized with the biblical doctrine of creation?
l Without doubt, there are elements in the Genesis Creation
account that we can’t explain. Why, though, is that not a reason
to reject it as a literal account of the way in which God created
our world?
1
2
3
1
2
3
S
tor
i n s i d e
21
A Card, a Garage Door,
and a $50 Bill
When Dennis Hulett stepped into the baptistry that was set up on the lawn
of his new home church in Wisconsin in the United States, dozens of his
new church friends watched with tears in their eyes. It had been a miracu-
lous journey for Dennis—a journey involving an invitation card, a garage
door, and a $50 bill.
Things had been rough for Dennis. He had lost his job and was going
through a divorce. He felt worthless. Looking through his mail one day, he
found a card showing a multiheaded dragon with crowns on it. Dennis, who
had always been interested in Bible prophecy, recognized the image.
Dennis went to the prophecy meeting. As he listened to the presenter
explain the Bible truths of Daniel and Revelation to the audience, Dennis
discovered that the Bible presented prophecy very differently from a series
of books he had been reading on the Second Coming. Dennis liked the way
the presenter let God’s Word defend itself. This is exactly the way Bible
studies should be conducted, he thought.
Dennis made friends with others attending the seminar, including Karl
and Karen, members of the Seventh-day Adventist church that was sponsor-
ing the meetings. Dennis rented the house next door to Karl and Karen, who
prayed that they would be a good influence on him.
The prophecy seminar ended, but Dennis continued attending the
Adventist church on most Sabbaths. Then he noticed something that made
everything he was learning fall into place. “Karl has a shop in his garage,”
Dennis said. “I noticed that the shop door was closed on Sabbath.” Dennis
was unemployed and was trying to earn money by recycling cans.
One Friday evening Dennis headed out to recycle more cans, hoping to
earn some money to spend with his daughter, who was coming for a visit
the following Monday. When he saw Karl’s closed garage door, he thought,
I can’t insult God by working on Friday night. Dennis didn’t know how he
would earn the money he needed. I’ll just have to figure something else out,
he decided.
The next morning at church somebody put a $50 bill in the offering plate
with a note that read, “Give to Dennis.” When Dennis received the money,
he was speechless. “It was enough to buy food and gas and have a nice week
with my daughter!”
Since then God has blessed Dennis with a job that gives him Sabbaths off.
Dennis says thanks to God by serving Him in any way he can.
Our mission offerings help to promote outreach to neighbors and strang-
ers alike. Thank you for giving.
JuaniTa edge is communication director of the Wisconsin Conference in the North
American Division.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
22
L e s s o n
3
*January 12–18
The Creation Completed
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Genesis 1; Ps. 8:3; Rom.
8:19–22; Lev. 11:14–22; Gen. 2:1–3; Mark 2:27, 28.
Memory Text:
“By the seventh day God had finished the work
he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his
work” (Genesis 2:2, NIV).
T
his week’s lesson reviews the Bible’s brief description of the
last three Creation days and the Sabbath rest. This description
is found in Genesis 1:1–2:3, but numerous references to it exist
in other parts of Scripture. One of the most striking aspects of the
Creation account is its division into days of Creation. Why did He
choose to make the seven-day time cycle that we call a week?
Scripture does not tell us directly, but we can look for clues.
Perhaps the most important clue is the Sabbath itself, which reserves
a special time for communion between God and humanity. It may be
that God established the week to provide a period of time suitable
for ordinary work, yet with a regular period of time set aside as a
reminder of our relationship to God (see Mark 2:28). This would help
humans to remember that God is the true provider and that we are
totally dependent upon Him.
Whatever the reason, it is apparent that the Genesis Creation
account reveals a Creation done with exceeding care and purpose.
Nothing is left to chance.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 19.
23
Sunday
January 13
Sun, Moon, and Stars
Read
Genesis 1:14–19. What actions are mentioned on the fourth
day of Creation? How are we to make sense of this, especially
given our present understanding of the physical world?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The fourth day has probably been discussed more than any of the
other six Creation days. If the sun was created on the fourth day,
what caused the daily cycles for the first three Creation days? On
the other hand, if the sun already existed, what happened on the
fourth day?
Uncertainty over the events of the fourth day of Creation does not
arise from a logical contradiction but from a plurality of possibili-
ties. One possibility is that the sun was created on the fourth day,
and the light for the first three days came from God’s presence or
from another source such as a supernova. Revelation 21:23 is con-
sistent with this idea, as the sun is not needed in the heavenly city
because God is there. A second possibility is that the sun, moon,
and stars were appointed their functions at that time. Psalm 8:3
seems consistent with this view. Hebrew scholar C. John Collins
writes that the Hebrew wording of Genesis 1:14 may allow for
either of these two possibilities. (See C. John Collins, Genesis 1–4:
A Linguistic, Literary, and Theological Commentary [Phillipsburg,
N.J.: P&R Publishing Co., 2006], p. 57.)
A third possibility is that the sun was already in existence but was
obscured by clouds or volcanic dust and was not visible or fully
functional until the fourth day. One can compare this possibility
with the planet Venus, where a similar situation occurs today.
The text does not seem clearly to endorse or rule out any of these
interpretations, although this does not deter strong opinions on the
topic. It is probably a good rule not to give a question more signifi-
cance than the Bible gives it, and we ought to acknowledge that our
understanding is limited. This acknowledgment, especially in the
area of creation, shouldn’t be that hard to accept. After all, think
about how many scientific mysteries exist at present; that is, they
are right here for experimental science to investigate and yet still
remain mysteries. How much more mysterious is something hidden
so far in the past?
24
Monday
January 14
Creation of Air and Water Animals
Read
Genesis 1:20–23. What evidence, if any, exists in the texts that
would imply randomness?
The waters and the atmosphere were populated on the fifth day of
Creation. Many have seen a relationship between the second and fifth
Creation days. The waters were separated by the atmosphere on the
second day, and both were filled with living creatures on the fifth day.
The Creation events seem to have occurred in a sequence that reflects
an intentional pattern, showing the care and orderliness of God’s
activity. In other words, nothing in the Creation account provides any
room for randomness.
Notice that both water creatures and air creatures are mentioned
in the plural, indicating that a diversity of organisms was created
on the fifth day. Each creature was blessed with the capacity to
be fruitful and multiply. Diversity was present from the begin-
ning. There was no single ancestor from which all other species
descended, but each species seems to have been endowed with
the possibility of producing varieties of individuals. For example,
more than four hundred named breeds have been developed from
the common pigeon, and at least twenty-seven breeds of goldfish
are known. God apparently gave each of His creatures the potential
to produce a great variety of various offspring, further adding to
the diversity of the Creation.
In verse 21, God saw that the creatures He had made were good.
This implies they were well-designed, attractive to the eye, free from
defects, and harmoniously participating in the purpose of the Creation.
Few living creatures excite our imagination and admiration
more than the birds. Birds are truly amazing creatures and are
wonderfully designed. Their feathers are lightweight but strong,
stiff yet flexible. The parts of a flight feather are held together
by complex sets of tiny barbs that provide strong but lightweight
bracing. A bird’s lung is so designed that it can obtain oxygen as
it inhales and also as it exhales. This provides the high level of
oxygen required for powered flight. This result is accomplished
by the presence of air sacs in some of the bones. These sacs func-
tion to sustain the flow of oxygen and, at the same time, to lighten
the body of the bird, making flight easier to maintain and control.
Birds are amazingly constructed.
With all this in mind, read Matthew 10:29–31. What comfort
can you find in these words?
_______________________________________________________
25
Tuesday
January 15
Creation of the Land Animals
In Genesis 1:24–31, terrestrial animals and humans were created
on the sixth day. As with the correlation between the second and fifth
days, a correlation is also seen between the division of the land and
sea on the third day and the filling of the land on the sixth day. One
is reminded again of the orderly and purposeful sequence of Creation
events, as is consistent with a God of order (compare 1 Cor. 14:33).
As with the creatures created on the fifth day, the wording of the
text indicates that a plurality of types was created on the sixth day of
Creation. A diversity of beasts, cattle, and creeping things were cre-
ated, as well.
There is no single ancestor of all land animals; God, instead, created
many distinct and separate lineages.
Note the expression “according to their kind,” or similar phrases
in Genesis 1:11, 21, 24, 25. Some have attempted to use this phrase
to support the idea of fixed “kinds,” an idea taken from Greek phi-
losophy. The ancient Greeks thought that each individual was an
imperfect expression of an unchanging ideal, known as a type. Yet,
the fixity of species is not consistent with the biblical teaching that all
of nature suffers from the curse of sin (Rom. 8:19–22). We know that
species have changed, as expressed in the curses of Genesis 3 (Ellen
G. White wrote about the “threefold curse” on the earth—the curse
after the Fall, after Cain’s sin, and after the Flood), and as seen in the
parasites and predators that cause so much suffering and violence.
The meaning of the phrase “according to their kind” is best under-
stood by examining the context in which it is used.
Read
Genesis 6:20, 7:14, and Leviticus 11:14–22. How is the expres-
sion “after its kind” or an equivalent phrase applied? How do
these examples help us to understand the phrase in Genesis 1?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
The phrase “after his kind,” or an equivalent, should not be inter-
preted as some rule of reproduction. Rather, it refers to the fact that
there were diverse kinds of creatures involved in the respective
stories. Some Bible translations use the phrase “of various kinds,”
which seems more true to the context. Instead of referring to fixity of
species, the phrase refers to the diversity of creatures created on the
sixth day. From the time of the Creation, there have been many kinds
of plants and animals.
26
Wednesday
January 16
The Creation Completed
After the Creation was completed in six days (we will study the
creation of humanity later), we find the first mention in the Bible of
the seventh day.
Read
Genesis 2:1–3. Notice especially verse 1, which emphasizes the
completion of all that God had done. Why is this so important in
our understanding of the significance of the seventh day?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
The Hebrew word for rest in this text is shabath, which is closely
related to the word for Sabbath. It indicates a cessation of labor upon
completion of a project. God was not weary and in need of rest; He
was finished with His work of creating and so He stopped. God’s spe-
cial blessing rests on the seventh day. It is not only “blessed” but also
“sanctified,” which carries the idea of being set apart and specially
devoted to God. Thus, God gave special significance to the Sabbath
in the context of the relationship between God and humans.
Read
Mark 2:27, 28. What did Jesus say was the purpose of the
Sabbath?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Notice that the Sabbath was not made because God had a need but
because man had a need for which God made provision. At the end
of that first week, God rested from His acts of creation and devoted
His time to relationship with His creatures. Humans needed the com-
munion with their Maker in order to understand their place in the
universe. Imagine the joy and wonder that Adam and Eve experienced
as they conversed with God and beheld the world that He had made.
The wisdom of this provision for rest became even more evident after
sin. We need the Sabbath rest in order to prevent us from losing sight
of God and getting caught up in materialism and overwork.
God commands us to give one-seventh of our lives to the
remembrance of the act of Creation. What should that tell us
about the importance of the teaching? How can you learn to
have a deeper and richer experience with the Lord through
resting on the Sabbath as He Himself did?
27
Thursday
January 17
The Literal Day
Read
Genesis 1:5, 8, 31. What are the components of a creation
day? Does anything in the verses imply that these are not literal
24-hour days as we experience them today?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
The nature of the days of Creation has been the subject of much
discussion. Some have questioned whether the days were ordinary
days or whether they might represent much longer periods of time.
The text’s description of the Creation days provides the answer to
that question. The days are composed of an evening (dark period)
and a morning (light period) and are consecutively numbered. That
is, the days are expressed in a way that very clearly shows that
they are days just as we now experience them, an evening and a
morning, a period of darkness and a period of light. It is difficult
to see how the statement could be more clear or explicit in describ-
ing the days of a week. The repeated expression “and there was
evening and there was morning” emphasizes the literal aspect of
each day.
Read
Leviticus 23:3. What indication do we have that all seven days
of Creation week were the same kind of days as those that we
experience?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
The ancient Hebrews were in no doubt as to the nature of the
Sabbath day. It was a day of ordinary length but carried a special
blessing from God. Note the explicit comparison of God’s workweek
of six days with our workweek of six days and the corresponding
comparison of the day of rest for God and for us (see also Exod. 20:9,
11). Even many scholars who reject the idea of these being literal days
often admit that the writers of the Bible understood that literal days
were meant.
So crucial to our relationship with God is our trust of God and
of His Word. If we can’t trust the Word of God on something
as foundational and as explicitly stated as the Genesis Creation
in six literal days, what can we trust Him on?
28
friday
January 18
Further Study:
As stated previously, the days of the Creation week
are numbered and identified as being composed of a dark period, the
evening, and a light period, the morning. There is no reasonable way
in which to interpret these days other than as being like the days we
experience today. Some have appealed to such texts as Psalm 90:4
and 2 Peter 3:8 when arguing that each Creation day actually repre-
sents 1,000 years. This conclusion is not suggested by the text and
does nothing to resolve the issue created by those who think that these
days represent billions of years.
Also, if the days in Genesis represented long epochs, one would
expect to find a succession in the fossil record that matches the suc-
cession of the living organisms created in the successive six Creation
“days.” Thus, the first fossils should be plants, which were created on
the third “day.” Next should be the first water animals and the air ani-
mals. Finally, we should find the first land animals. The fossil record
does not match this sequence. Water creatures come before plants,
and land creatures come before air creatures. The first fossil fruit trees
and other flowering plants appear after all these other groups. The
only point of similarity is that humans appear last in both accounts.
“Of each successive day of creation, the Sacred Record declares
that it consisted of the evening and the morning, like all other days
that have followed.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 112.
“But the infidel supposition, that the events of the first week
required seven vast, indefinite periods for their accomplishment,
strikes directly at the foundation of the Sabbath of the fourth com-
mandment. It makes indefinite and obscure that which God has made
very plain. It is the worst kind of infidelity; for with many who profess
to believe the record of creation, it is infidelity in disguise.”—Ellen G.
White, Spiritual Gifts, vol. 3, p. 91.
Discussion Questions:
l Even from a nonliteralist interpretation of Genesis, two points
are obvious: nothing was random in the act of Creation, and
there was no common ancestry for the species. Now, along comes
Darwinian evolution, which in its various versions teaches two
things: randomness and common ancestry for all species. How,
then, does one interpret Genesis through a theory that, at its
most basic level, contradicts Genesis at its most basic level?
l Why is it important to understand that science, for all the
good that it does, is still merely a human endeavor?
l All science has to study is a fallen world, one that is very
different in many ways from the original Creation. Why is it
important to keep that truth ever before us?
1
2
3
1
2
3
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29
Serving in Small Ways
Nora and Jorge enjoyed the fellowship and outreach activities in
their large church home in southern Ecuador. But they wanted to do
more. They prayed for a special outreach opportunity, and God called
them to serve Him in a smaller way in their own neighborhood.
The family knew many of their neighbors and invited them to
worship in their home. Five of their neighbors came, along with sev-
eral Seventh-day Adventists who lived nearby. The visitors enjoyed
the worship service and continued to attend regularly. A few more
neighbors joined the group. Some brought their children; so, one of
Nora and Jorge’s daughters gave up her bedroom so the children
could have a Sabbath School room.
Then Nora learned that she needed surgery for a blocked artery.
She prayed for the doctors and for a successful outcome. But during
surgery her lungs filled up with fluid, and her heart stopped beating.
Doctors tried to resuscitate her but weren’t successful. So, they were
amazed when her heart began beating again on its own. And they
were even more astounded when she awakened 12 hours after the
surgery. She was in the intensive care unit, but she had survived.
One of her doctors stopped by her room the next day and asked,
“Nora, you shouldn’t have survived. Who is your God?” Because of
a tube in her throat, Nora couldn’t talk; so, her husband explained
that during the surgery Christians across the city were praying for
her. “Our God can be your God too,” her husband told the doctor.
Three other doctors quizzed Nora’s husband about the couple’s
faith. One said, “In thirty years I’ve never seen someone whose
lungs filled with fluid and whose heart stopped beating survive
and respond so well the next day.” Nora’s miraculous recovery
prompted the doctors to reexamine their own faith. Some of them
asked more questions, and Jorge gave them copies of Steps to
Christ.
After Nora left the hospital, two doctors called her to see how she
was doing. “They seemed so surprised that I was alive and doing
well,” Nora said. “I told them that God is my God, and He chose to
save me. This miracle has helped our house church grow, as well,”
Nora added. “Now we don’t have enough room in our home for our
congregation. We’re looking for another place to worship.”
We are God’s chosen instruments to tell the world. Sharing our
faith and our mission offerings helps to grow God’s family.
nora Vargas de arellano and Jorge arellano and their daughters share God’s love in
Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
L e s s o n
30
4
*January 19–25
Creation, a Biblical
Theme
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Genesis 2, Matt. 19:4–6,
Psalm 8, Job 38:1–21, 42:1–6, Isa. 45:18, Acts 17:22–31.
Memory Text:
“Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and
he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the
earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. He said in a
loud voice, ‘Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of
his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens,
the earth, the sea and the springs of water’ ” (Revelation 14:6, 7,
NIV).
G
enesis 1:1–2:3 is the foundation for many Creation texts found
in Scripture. Some references to Genesis 1 are clear, others
are more indirect. The more indirect references often involve
a repetition of certain words or ideas without directly quoting the
text, such as 2 Corinthians 4:6: “For it is the God who commanded
light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”
(NKJV). A direct reference, in contrast, is Hebrews 4:4: “For He has
spoken in a certain place of the seventh day in this way: ‘And God
rested on the seventh day from all His works’ (NKJV), a quote from
Genesis 2:2.
This week we will look at various references that point back to the
Genesis account and show how other Bible writers understood it as a
literal depiction of human origins.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, January 26.
31
Sunday
January 20
Creation in Genesis 2
“These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when
they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth
and the heavens” (Gen. 2:4).
Genesis 1:1–2:3 is the first account of God creating our world. It
forms the foundation of all the other truths that we, as Christians,
believe.
But the Creation account doesn’t end there. From Genesis 2:3
to the end of the chapter, we are given more details, specifically
regarding the creation of Adam and Eve. Thus, we should interpret
Genesis 2:4 (above) as the introduction to a more detailed history of
the creation of Adam and Eve, an act that is briefly summarized in
Genesis 1:26–29. Some modern scholars have argued that a conflict
exists between Genesis 1 and 2, but this would have been a surprise
to Moses and the other biblical writers. If the stories were seen as
conflicting, Moses would never have written them, especially so close
together. The conflict isn’t with the texts; it’s with those who read a
conflict into them.
Read
Matthew 19:4–6. How does Jesus affirm the historical truth of
Genesis 1 and 2?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
In response to the Pharisees’ question about divorce, Jesus quoted
from both Genesis 1:27 and 2:24, showing that He considered both
to be discussing the same historical event, the Creation of the world
and humanity. How much more proof do we need that Genesis 1 and
2 are harmonious accounts of Creation, the doctrine and teaching that
forms the foundation of our existence and purpose? We are not here
by chance, we are not here by fluke; we are beings made in the image
of God—and the Genesis Creation account, as revealed in chapters 1
and 2, is God’s special revelation to us of our origins.
Read
Genesis 2. How does it help us to better understand what it
means to be human, to be made in the image of God, and to be
given free will?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
32
Monday
January 21
Creation in the Psalms
Read
Psalm 8. What links do you find with Genesis 1?
________________________________________________________
Read
Psalm 104. Note how this psalm praises God for His goodness
as seen in both Creation and providence. Identify the links with
Genesis 1 in the following verses from Psalm 104:
Vs. 2___________________________________________________
Vss. 5–7________________________________________________
Vss. 7–9________________________________________________
Vs. 14__________________________________________________
Vs. 19__________________________________________________
Vs. 25__________________________________________________
Note how the psalm’s topical sequence seems to be crafted to
follow the topical sequence of Genesis 1. Poetic imagery is vividly
presented throughout the verses, and its message clearly includes the
power, wisdom, and goodness of God and the dependence of all the
Creation on the Creator. Nothing in the psalm hints that the Genesis
account was not to be taken literally.
Note
the following examples from the Psalms that correlate with
Genesis 1.
Ps. 24:1, 2_______________________________________________
Ps. 33:6_________________________________________________
Ps. 74:16, 17_____________________________________________
Ps. 89:11________________________________________________
The Psalms are full of praise for the Creator. Sometimes this is
expressed in language reminiscent of Genesis 1, other times the lan-
guage is more general; but in all cases, the description of Creation is
consistent with Genesis 1 and reminds us of the foundational role of
Genesis in our understanding of our origins as sons and daughters of
God.
33
Tuesday
January 22
Creation in the Book of Job
Read
Job 38:1–21. Note the creation topics in the following verses.
Vss. 4–7________________________________________________
Vss. 8–11_______________________________________________
Vs. 12__________________________________________________
Vs. 16__________________________________________________
Vs. 19__________________________________________________
It’s important to remember the context of the book of Job. Great
tragedy struck, and Job was struggling to understand how this could
happen to him, a faithful follower of God. In chapter 38 up through
chapter 41, the Lord continues to talk about His creative power, all in
response to Job’s pained questioning.
Read
carefully Job’s response to the Lord in Job 42:1–6. Why
did Job respond as he did, and what can we learn from his
response that could help us to trust God in our own personal
tragedy?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Job’s inability to explain features of the Creation led him to rec-
ognize the greatness of God and to trust Him, despite everything that
had happened. We also find ourselves unable to answer many ques-
tions about the Creation, and Job’s example should encourage us to
trust God, no matter what. Many questions about everything in life
will remain unanswered, at least for now. We will have an eternity
to get explanations for what now seems incomprehensible.
The point is that through the marvels of Creation—which we today
understand so much better now than Job ever could—we should learn
to trust in God’s incredible love and power.
We, today, living after the Cross, have a view of the Creator
also as our crucified Redeemer, something that Job never had,
at least not as clearly as we do. How much more, then, should
we trust in the Lord’s goodness toward us, knowing what He
did for us?
34
Wednesday
January 23
Creation in the Prophets
“For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself
that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he cre-
ated it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord;
and there is none else” (Isa. 45:18).
Isaiah 45:18 emphasizes God’s intention to prepare a place for
humans to live; thus, the fitness of the earth for life is not an acci-
dent.
Consider some of the features of Earth that make it a fit place for
human life in contrast to the other planets in our solar system. First,
water is present in abundance. There is some evidence of water
activity on Mars, but there are no standing bodies of water on Mars
or on any other planet aside from Earth. Another unique feature
of Earth is the composition of the atmosphere, about 21 percent
oxygen and 78 percent nitrogen. Other planets have atmospheres
dominated either by carbon dioxide or by helium, but only Earth
has an atmosphere suitable for life. The range of temperatures on
Earth is suitable for terrestrial life, unlike any of the other planets
in our solar system. This is due to a combination of factors, includ-
ing our distance from the sun, the composition of our atmosphere,
the mass of Earth, and the speed of its rotation—which determines
the length of days and nights. All these features, and more, make
Earth the only known planet suitable for sustaining life.
How
do the following texts relate to the events described in Genesis 1?
Isa. 44:24_______________________________________________
Isa. 45:12_______________________________________________
Jer. 51:15, 16____________________________________________
Amos 4:13______________________________________________
Jonah 1:9________________________________________________
Zech. 12:1_______________________________________________
Think through the implications of our origins and why getting
them right is so important to our understanding of who we are,
why we are here, and what we can hope for in a world that, in
and of itself, offers no hope at all.
35
Thursday
January 24
Creation in the New Testament
Read
Acts 17:22–31. What were the circumstances of this sermon?
After Paul had introduced his topic, what was the first topic he
brought to these learned men? Vss. 24, 25. What does Paul say
is the relationship between the Creator God and humans? Vss.
26–28.
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
The audience here no doubt included the two groups of philoso-
phers known as Stoics and Epicureans. The Stoics affirmed the real-
ity of design in nature, while the Epicureans denied it. Neither had a
knowledge of the true God, but their arguments about design were
similar to many of the arguments still discussed in our day.
The important point here is that, in his witness to these pagan
thinkers and intellectuals, Paul reverts directly to the argument of the
Lord as the Creator of all things and all humanity. Paul had little in
common with these people; so, he went right to what they did have in
common—the fact that they existed—and from that undeniable reality
he sought to build his argument. Hence, we see Creation as, again, a
crucial theme in Scripture.
Look at the following texts: Matthew 19:4–6, Mark 2:27, Luke
3:38, John 1:1–3, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Hebrews 4:4, James 3:9, 2 Peter
3:5, Jude 11, 14. What’s fascinating is that each one of these New
Testament authors either directly or indirectly make reference to the
Genesis Creation account, more evidence proving just how universally
accepted the Genesis account of origins was to all the Bible writers.
Read
Revelation 4:11 and 10:5, 6. What do the heavenly beings say
about God’s creatorship?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Creation was not an accident but occurred by the will of God. The
second passage contains a clear allusion to Exodus 20:11. Once again,
as in John 1:1–3, John shows his familiarity with, and confidence in,
the Creation story. How foolish for us to do anything less.
36
friday
January 25
Further Study:
The Bible is a book about God and His relationship
to us humans and our world. The events of Creation week are unique
and supernatural. They are outside the realm of scientific inquiry for
at least two reasons. First, they are singularities. Singularities are
events that occur only once. Science has a difficult time dealing with
singularities because they cannot be repeated and tested under differ-
ing circumstances. Second, the Creation events were supernaturally
caused. They were not the natural result of the way that God sustains
the Creation; they were special, direct acts of God. Science deals only
with secondary causes and does not—at least as now practiced—
accept any explanation that depends on God’s direct action. Because
the Creation events are unique and supernatural, they lie outside the
reach of science.
One’s view of origins has important implications for one’s view
of human nature and self-identity. Understanding our origins is so
important that God had it placed as the first subject in the Bible, and
the message of the Bible is based on the historicity of the Creation
account. To claim that we can learn the true history of our world
through science is to claim that it can be explained without appealing
to any direct action by God, an error that has led to more error.
“Men will endeavor to explain from natural causes the work of
creation, which God has never revealed. But human science cannot
search out the secrets of the God of Heaven, and explain the stupen-
dous works of creation, which were a miracle of almighty power, any
sooner than it can show how God came into existence.”—Ellen G.
White, The Spirit of Prophecy, vol. 1, p. 89.
Discussion Questions:
l Creation is a dominant theme throughout the entire Bible.
Is there any evidence that Bible writers had different views of
Creation or that any of them had doubts about the veracity of
any part of Genesis? Why is this answer important?
l What reasons do you think someone might give to justify the
rejection of the idea that nature is designed?
l Jesus endorsed the authority of Moses (Luke 16:29–31),
including the story of Creation (Mark 2:27, 28; Matt. 19:4–6).
Given this background and the example of Jesus, what should
be our attitude toward the story of Creation?
1
2
3
1
2
3
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The Missionary Café
Sixteen-year-old Anya’s heart raced as she and her father stepped into the
small café in the heart of Krasnoyarsk, Siberia. Could she ask a complete
stranger to turn a business over to some teenagers—even for a few hours?
The adventure for God had begun months earlier when Anya and her
teenage friends had visited a sister church in Siberia. The teens there were
running a successful café outreach. Anya and her friends returned home
with a dream to start a similar outreach in their own city.
The youth prayed and planned. When they shared their dream with other
church members, some tried to discourage them. “This will be expensive,” one
said. “No one will come,” another added. “You’re wasting your time,” another
protested. But Anya’s father, the pastor, encouraged the youth to let God lead.
Anya and her father stepped into the café and greeted the owner.
They sat together at an empty table. “We are Seventh-day Adventist
Christians,” Anya began. “Our youth group would like to use your café
one Sunday morning a month to host a Christian program for about thirty
young people. We can pay for food, but we can’t pay rent.”
Anya waited for the café’s owner to respond. “Business isn’t good on
Sunday morning,” the woman said as she considered the request. “Yes,
you can use the café for two hours. Just put things back where you found
them and don’t make a mess.”
Anya smiled. God surely has gone before us, she thought.
Anya and her friends prepared advertising for Café Orange, finalized
their program, and prayed for a good attendance. The doors opened, and
people streamed in. The youth had planned for 30 people, but 55 came,
including 15 who were not Seventh-day Adventists.
Anya noticed that the cafe waiters and the few other customers were
listening to the program too. She realized that their mission field stretched
beyond those they had set out to reach. How like God to give us more than
we asked for! she thought.
The youth invited those who came to Café Orange to attend youth meet-
ings at the Seventh-day Adventist church, and several came.
Today the church supports the café ministry, though it is still operated
by the youth. “We want others to know that Christians can have fun. We
want to give them a chance to become children of God.”
Anya cites one of her favorite Bible texts to sum up her philosophy of
youth ministries: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are
young, but set an example for the believers, in speech, in life, in love, in
faith, and in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12, NIV). “That’s our goal,” she says.
Your mission offerings are helping the Seventh-day Adventist youth in Kras-
noyarsk, a city in the heart of Siberia, to reach out for Christ. Thank you.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
L e s s o n
38
5
*January 26–February 1
Creation and Morality
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Gen. 2:16, 17; Gen. 1:26–28;
James 3:9; Acts 17:26; Prov. 14:31; Matt. 5:44–48; Rev. 20:11–13.
Memory Text:
“And the Lord God commanded the man, ‘You
are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat
from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat
from it you will certainly die’ ” (Genesis 2:16, 17, NIV).
P
eople love to talk about “human rights.” From the Magna Carta
(1215) to the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and
of the Citizen (1789) to various United Nations declarations,
the idea is promoted that human beings possess certain “inalienable
rights,” rights that no one can rightfully take away from us. They are
ours by virtue of being human (at least that’s how the theory goes).
The questions remain: What are these rights? How are we to deter-
mine what they are? Can these rights change, and if so, how so? Why
should we, as humans, have these rights, anyway?
In some countries, for instance, women were not given the “right”
to vote until the twentieth century (some nations still deny it). How,
though, can a government grant to people something that is their
“inalienable right” to begin with?
These are hard questions, and their answers are inseparably linked
to the question of human origins, the study for this week’s lesson.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 2.
39
Sunday
January 27
Our Dependence on the Creator
Genesis 2:7 depicts God as creating Adam individually and repre-
sents him to be an intelligent, moral being rather than as an animal.
The text does not say, but one can imagine God using His hands to
form the dust into the intended shape and size. One might think that
the great Sovereign of the universe would not stoop to get His hands
dirty in the making of man, but the Bible reveals the Creator as One
closely involved with the Creation. Scripture records many occasions
when God willingly interacted with the material creation. Examples
include Exodus 32:15, 16; Luke 4:40; and John 9:6. Indeed, the incar-
nation of Christ Himself into humanity, into human flesh, where He
day by day interacted with the created world in much the way we do,
refutes the notion that God would not stoop to “get His hands dirty”
among humanity.
Read
Genesis 2:16, 17. What command did God give to Adam? What
is implied in this command?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
We may ask, What right did God have to make rules for Adam and
Eve? Compare this situation to that of a child in a family. The child’s
parents provide the child with a home and all of life’s necessities.
They love the child and have the child’s best interests in mind. Their
greater experience and wisdom can spare the child much misery if
that child will accept their guidance. Some children find this guidance
difficult, but it is universally recognized that as long as the child is
dependent on parents for necessities, the child is obligated to accept
the parents’ rules. In like manner, because we are always dependent
on our heavenly Father for life and its necessities, it is always appro-
priate for us to accept God’s guidance. Because He is a God of love,
we can trust Him to always provide what we need for our own good.
Read Psalm 95:6, 7 and Psalm 100. How does the psalmist
express our dependence on God? What obligations does that
dependence automatically place on you, especially in regard to
the way in which you treat others?
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
40
Monday
January 28
In the Image of God
Read
Genesis 1:26–28. What special attribute was given to humans
that was not given to the animals?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What exactly is “the image of God”? This question has generated
a great deal of discussion, and opinions vary. But the verses provide
some clues regarding the nature of the idea. First, note that to be
made in the image of God implies that we resemble God in certain
ways. One important aspect of the image of God is that God gave to
humans dominion over the other creatures. As God is sovereign over
all, He has appointed to humans a share of sovereignty by giving them
dominion over the fish, the birds, and the land animals.
Notice, too, that God purposed to make man in “our” image—that
is, an image involving the plurality of the Godhead. Then He made
humans male and female. The image of God is not fully expressed
in an individual but in relationship. As the Godhead is manifest
in three Persons in relationship, the image of God in humans is
expressed in relationship of male and female. The ability to form
relationships is part of the image of God. Relationships, of course,
imply responsibility and accountability, which means morality.
Hence, right here we are given a strong hint as to how morality finds
its basis in the Creation story.
Read
Genesis 9:6 and James 3:9. In what way is the idea of humans
being made in the “image of God” clearly linked to the concept
of morality?
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Humans have wrestled for millennia with the question of moral-
ity. Even before one gets into what is the right kind of morality, the
whole idea of morality itself raises a host of deep issues. Why should
humans, as opposed to beetles, fleas, or even chimps, have a moral
conscience, a concept that distinguishes between right and wrong?
How can beings, made essentially of amoral matter (quarks, gluons,
electrons, and so forth) be aware of moral concepts? The answer can
be found in the early chapters of the Bible, which reveal humans to be
moral creatures made “in the image of God.”
41
Tuesday
January 29
Made of One Blood
In Genesis 2:23, Adam is given the task of naming his wife, whom
he called Havah. This word is related to the Hebrew verb hayah,
which means “to live” (Jews sometimes use the related expression
lehayim, “to life!”). The Hebrew word for “Eve” (Havah) can be
translated as “life-giver.” Eve’s name represents the fact that she is
the ancestor of all humans. We are all one family in the most literal
sense.
Read
Acts 17:26. How does Paul link the brotherhood of all human-
ity to the Creation? Compare with Matt. 23:9.
________________________________________________________
We are united in that we all descended from one woman, Eve, and
from one man, Adam. And God is the Father of us all. This fact is the
basis of human equality. Think how different human relations would
be if all people recognized this important truth. If we ever needed
proof of how far fallen we are, of how badly sin has damaged us, we
have it in the sad fact that humans often treat one another worse than
some people treat animals.
Read
Proverbs 14:31 and 22:2. How do these texts help us to under-
stand the link between morality and the fact that we are created
by God?
________________________________________________________
Many factors have divided the human race: political, national, ethnic,
and, of course, economic. The economic factor is, arguably, one of the
most consequential (though never to the degree that Karl Marx envi-
sioned: the workers of the world never did unite; instead, they warred
against each other based on their nationality). Today, as always, the
poor and the rich often regard one another with suspicion and disdain.
How often these sentiments have led to violence, even war. The causes
of poverty and the solution to it still continue to baffle us (see Matt.
26:11), but one thing is sure from the Word of God: rich or poor, we all
deserve the dignity that is ours by virtue of our origins.
Years ago, after Darwinism became fashionable, some justified
the exploitation of the poor by the rich on the grounds of “social
Darwinism,” the idea that in the natural world the strong over-
come and exploit the weak, so why should not the same principle
apply in economics? How is this another example of why a correct
grasp of origins is crucial to the understanding of morality?
42
Wednesday
January 30
The Character of Our Creator
God created us in His image, which means, among other things,
that He intended for us to resemble Him in character. That is, we are
to be like Him as much as is humanly possible (notice, to be like God
is not the same thing as to aspire to be God, a crucial difference). In
order for us to be like God, in the sense that we reflect His character,
we must have a proper understanding of what that character is.
Read
Matthew 5:44–48. What do these verses reveal not only about
God’s character but also about how we should reflect His charac-
ter in our own lives?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Read
Luke 10:29–37. Again, what does this reveal about the charac-
ter of God and how it should be reflected in humanity? See also
Phil. 2:1–8.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The story Jesus told involved two men from different people groups,
groups that were antagonistic toward each other. But Jesus showed that
they were neighbors. Each was within the other’s sphere of responsibil-
ity, and God was pleased when their differences were set aside and one
treated the other with kindness and compassion.
What a contrast is seen between the principles of God’s kingdom
and the principles of Satan’s rulership. God calls the strong to care for
the weak, while Satan’s principles call for elimination of the weak by
the strong. God created a world of peaceful relationships, but Satan has
distorted it so thoroughly that many regard survival of the fittest as the
normal standard of conduct. If the vicious process of natural selection
(in which the strong overpower the weak) were the means by which
we came into existence, why should we do differently? If we accept
this view, are we not following God and the dictates of nature as He
ordained it when we advance our own interests at the expense of the
less “naturally selected”?
What are other ways in which you can see how an understand-
ing of our origins can affect our moral concepts?
43
Thursday
January 31
Morality and Accountability
In
an earlier lesson, we looked at Paul’s sermon to the men in Athens
(Acts 17:16–31). Follow the line of reasoning he used, noting not
just where he started but where he ended. What’s so important
about the conclusion he came to, particularly regarding the ques-
tion of origins and morality?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Paul’s sermon to the men of Athens began with Creation and ended
with judgment. According to Paul, the God who made the world and
everything in it has fixed a day on which He will judge the world. To
be endowed with morality implies accountability, and each of us will
be held responsible for our actions and our words (see Eccles. 12:14
and Matt. 12:36, 37).
Read
Revelation 20:11–13 and Matthew 25:31–40. What is clearly
taught in these texts that is directly tied to morality?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Everyone who ever lived will meet together in God’s presence to
face the judgment. The difference between the two groups in Jesus’
parable is how each person treated those who were in need. The
Creator is interested in how His creatures treat each other, especially
those who are needy. There is no place in heaven for the principle of
natural selection; it is contrary to the character of the God of peace.
If the Bible teaches anything, it teaches that the justice so lacking in
this world will one day be meted out by God Himself. More so, the whole
idea of judgment implies a moral order: why would God judge, much less
punish, if there were no moral standards to which people could be held?
Think through the reality and certainty of judgment. Why,
then, is the gospel and the promise of salvation in Christ so cru-
cial in order for us to have assurance in that judgment?
_____________________________________________________
44
friday
February 1
Further Study:
According to Scripture, Adam was the first man and
was specially created from the dust by God. Our understanding of the
origin of morality is founded in the origin of Adam. Biblical concepts
of morality are, then, inseparable from biblical concepts of origins.
Recognizing Adam as the first human also refutes the possibility
that any fossils were ancestral to Adam or other humans. From where,
then, did these fossils come? Several other possibilities exist.
First, the humanlike fossils might be forms of humans with normal
intelligence but with growth patterns unlike any present-day human.
A second possibility is that the fossils may have been degenerate due
to their own lifestyle or environmental stress or other factors. A third
possibility is that they may be the results of Satan’s direct attempts to
corrupt Creation in ways we do not understand. Another possibility is
that they were not humans but were similar in morphology. Different
people may prefer different explanations but, because we do not have
direct evidence to settle the matter, it is best to avoid being dogmatic
in our speculations. Fossils do not come with labels attached that say,
“Made in China 500 million years ago” or the like. Our understand-
ing of earth history, which varies greatly among scientists, provides
a frame of reference within which we interpret fossils, but we do
not have proof of our interpretations. They are, in the end, only that:
interpretations, nothing more.
Discussion Questions:
l Think through the implications of what it would mean if there
was no Creator who imposed a moral order on humanity. Where
would moral concepts come from? Many people who don’t
believe in God nevertheless do hold to some strict moral stan-
dards. On what basis, other than God, might a person be able
to develop a moral code? What are some possible scenarios that
they could come up with? What, though, would be the ultimate
weakness in them all?
l How does our view of Creation inform our opinions regarding
current issues such as euthanasia, cloning, abortion, etc.?
l A local citizen who volunteered his time to give tours at the
Nazi concentration camp of Dachau began the tour by talk-
ing about Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, implying that
Darwin’s theory led to Dachau and the like. What’s the obvi-
ous logic of that line of reasoning? In what ways might it be
flawed?
1
2
3
1
2
3
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45
The Two Paths
Chief Asang was weeping, and no one could console him. I had no idea
why he was upset, but I asked God to help me to comfort him. I am a
student missionary teaching the children of the chief’s people.
As I approached the chief, he reached out and hugged me. “Thank you
for coming,” he said when he saw me. “Something is bothering me, and I
know you can help.” Confused by his greeting, I wondered what I could
do to help him.
“I had a dream and saw two pathways,” he said. “One path was wide
and brightly lit. The other was a narrow trail, rugged and dark. My people
were walking on the wide road, laughing and drinking as they traveled. On
the narrow path I saw you, and some children from the village, including
my own grandchildren. Thistles on the narrow path tore your skin, but you
didn’t seem to mind. You were singing some of the songs you, and the
children sing at morning worship.
“Then, suddenly, everything changed! The wide road became steep and
dark, while the narrow trail became bright. Suddenly the wide road ended,
and my people fell into a ravine, screaming in terror.
“I looked toward the narrow path and saw you and the children enter-
ing a pearly gate. Then I saw the face of Jesus that you showed us in the
picture roll. He was welcoming you and my children to the city you call
heaven. Most of my people were lost,” the chief mourned. “And I was
among them! Please tell me what this dream means.”
I prayed for God’s help to answer the chief’s tearful plea. Then I said,
“Your dream of the two pathways was written a long time ago in God’s
Word.” Opening my Bible, I showed him Matthew 7:13 and 14.
“How can my people and I get on this narrow trail?” the chief asked
with a pleading voice.
“You must decide to follow Jesus now, while there is still time, Chief,”
I encouraged.
“Please, tell me what we must do. I will tell my people to listen to you,”
he responded, hope filling his voice.
I explained God’s plan of salvation to the chief. I told him that his
people are God’s children, and He wants to welcome them all into His
kingdom. Chief Asang is receiving Bible studies and plans to be baptized
soon.
Your mission offerings help to support Seventh-day Adventist schools
that send missionaries like me to people still living in darkness. Thank you
for helping us to reach God’s children everywhere with His love.
reneboy auTenTico is a student missionary from Mountain View College in the
Philippines.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
L e s s o n
46
6
*February 2–8
Creation and the Fall
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Gen. 3:1–15; Matt. 4:3–10;
Col. 2:20–23; John 3:17; Rev. 14:6, 7.
Memory Text:
“And I will put enmity between you and the wo-
man, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your
head, and you will strike his heel” (Genesis 3:15, NIV).
A
comic used to play a female character called Geraldine. In one
monologue she was a minister’s wife who had come home
with an expensive new dress. Her husband (played by the
same comedian) got angry. Geraldine then shrieked in response: “The
devil made me buy this dress! I didn’t want to buy the dress. The devil
kept bothering me.”
That was supposed to be funny. But our world, and the evil in it,
shows that Satan is no laughing matter.
For some people, the idea of the devil is an ancient superstition
not to be taken seriously. Scripture, however, is unequivocal: though
Satan is a defeated foe (Rev. 12:12, 1 John 3:8), he is here on the
earth, and he is determined to wreak as much havoc and destruction
as possible against God’s creation.
This week we’ll look at Satan’s original attack and what we can
learn from it so that while we are still under his assault, we can claim
the victory that’s ours in Christ.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 9.
47
Sunday
February 3
The Serpent Was More Cunning
Read
Genesis 3:1. How is Satan, in the form of a serpent, described?
How is the truth of that depiction revealed even in that one
verse?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The cunning of the serpent is seen in the way he introduces his
temptation. He does not make a direct attack but attempts to engage
the woman in conversation. Note that the serpent’s words include
at least two problematic aspects. First, he asks if God really made
a particular statement. At the same time, he phrases his question to
raise doubt about the generosity of God. In effect, he asks, “Did God
really withhold anything from you? Did He not give you permission
to eat from every tree in the garden?” By intentionally misquoting
God’s instructions, the serpent entices the woman to correct his
statement and successfully draws her into conversation. The ser-
pent’s strategy is certainly “cunning.”
Of course, none of that should be surprising. Jesus called the
devil a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). In Revelation 12:9
the devil deceives the whole world, which means that none of us,
even as Seventh-day Adventist Christians, are safe. Satan has, obvi-
ously, lost none of his cunning or deceptiveness. He still uses the
strategy that was successful with Eve. He raises questions about
God’s Word and God’s intentions, hoping to raise doubts and draw
us into “conversation.” We must be vigilant (1 Pet. 5:8) in order to
resist his devices.
Compare
Matthew 4:3–10 with Genesis 3:1. What similar ploy did
Satan try on Jesus, and why did it fail? What lessons can we learn
from how Jesus responded to the devil’s attacks in the wilder-
ness? In what ways does Satan try the same thing with us, now?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
48
Monday
February 4
The Woman and the Serpent
Read
Genesis 3:2, 3. How did the woman respond to the serpent?
What mistakes did she make?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Though Eve clearly knew the command of God, which shows
her culpability, she does make a statement that goes beyond what
God had said, at least as recorded in the Bible. God had clearly
instructed Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree; nothing was said
about not touching it. Because we don’t know what prompted her
to say that, it’s best not to speculate about its origins. No ques-
tion, though: by thinking she shouldn’t touch the fruit, she would
have been less inclined to eat it, because she couldn’t eat what she
couldn’t touch.
How often do we face the same thing today: someone comes
with teachings that, on most points but not all, are in harmony with
Scripture? It’s the few points that aren’t that can ruin everything else.
Even mixed with truth, error is still error.
Read
Matthew 15:7–9. What reproof did Jesus give the scribes and
Pharisees concerning the addition of human thinking to the Word
of God? Compare this with Revelation 22:18 and Colossians
2:20–23. What dangers arise from making up rules that we think
will protect us against sin? Vs. 23.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The problem with sin is not a lack of rules but a reprobate heart.
Even in secular society, we often hear calls for more laws against
crime when there are already sufficient laws in existence. We do not
need new laws so much as we need new hearts.
In what ways might we be in danger of following the things
warned about here? Standards based on biblical principles are
crucial. The question is, How can we be sure that the standards
and rules we apply aren’t going to lead us astray? Bring your
answer to class.
49
Tuesday
February 5
Deceived by the Evidence
Read
Genesis 3:4–6. What are the principles that led to Adam and
Eve’s downfall? What can we learn from their experience that
can help us to deal with whatever temptations we face, as well?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Satan was successful in drawing Eve into conversation and in rais-
ing doubts about what God had said and why. Now he tells Eve that
God is not telling the truth and provides an explanation for God’s
motive behind His forbidding them to eat of the fruit. According to
Satan, God is withholding something good in order to keep Adam
and Eve from reaching their full potential. In doing so, Satan builds
on his previous question about whether God has withheld some of the
trees from them.
Eve uses three lines of evidence that lead her to the conclusion that
she would benefit from eating the fruit. First, she sees that the tree is
good for food. Perhaps she has observed the serpent eating the fruit.
He may have commented on how good it tasted. It’s interesting that
though Adam and Eve had been told not to eat of it, she notices that
it is “good for food.” Talk about a conflict between the senses and a
clear “Thus saith the Lord!”
A second line of evidence that convinces Eve to eat the fruit is that
it is pleasant to the eyes. No doubt all the fruit in the garden is beauti-
ful, but for some reason, Eve is especially attracted to the fruit that
Satan is offering her.
The supposed power of the fruit to make one wise is a third reason
that Eve wants to eat of the fruit. The serpent has assured her that eat-
ing the fruit will expand her knowledge and make her like God. Of
course, the sad irony here is that, according to the Bible, she already
is like God (Gen. 1:27).
We are told that Eve was deceived, but Adam was not (1 Tim.
2:14). If Adam was not deceived, why did he eat? Adam consciously
disobeyed God, choosing to follow Eve rather than God. How often is
this same kind of behavior seen today? How easily we can be tempted
by what others say and do, regardless of how contrary their words and
actions are to the Word of God. Adam listened to Eve instead of to
God, and the rest is the nightmare known as human history (see Rom.
5:12–21).
50
Wednesday
February 6
Grace and Judgment in Eden: Part 1
In Genesis 3, after the Fall, the Lord’s opening words are all ques-
tions: “Where are you? . . . Who told you that you were naked? Have
you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from? . . .
What is this you have done?” (Gen. 3:9–13, NIV).
In
contrast, God’s first declarative statement in chapter 3—His first state-
ment of fact—follows these questions. What does God say to the
serpent, and what is the meaning of His words? See Gen. 3:14, 15.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Think through the implications of what is happening here. God’s
first declarative statement to the fallen world is, in fact, a condemna-
tion of Satan, not humanity. Indeed, even in that condemnation of
Satan, God gives humanity the hope and promise of the gospel (vs.
15). As He declares Satan’s doom, He proclaims humanity’s hope.
Despite their sin, the Lord immediately reveals to Adam and Eve the
promise of redemption.
Notice, too, that only after this promise, only after hope of grace
and salvation is given in verse 15 (known also as the “First Gospel
Promise”), does the Lord pronounce judgment on Adam and Eve:
“To the woman He said, ‘I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your
conception; in pain you shall bring forth children. . . .’ Then to Adam
He said, ‘Because you have heeded the voice of your wife . . .’ ” (Gen.
3:16, 17, NKJV).
Don’t miss this point: the promise of salvation comes first, fol-
lowed by judgment. Only against the backdrop of the gospel, then,
does judgment come; otherwise, judgment would mean nothing but
condemnation, but Scripture is clear: “God sent not his Son into the
world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be
saved” (John 3:17).
Why is it so important always to dwell on the fact that God’s
purpose is to save us, not to condemn us? How does sin in our
life cause us to lose sight of that crucial truth? That is, how does
sin cause us to turn away from God?
______________________________________________________
51
Thursday
February 7
Grace and Judgment in Eden: Part 2
In Genesis 1 and 2, God utters imperative statements such as: “Let
there be lights in the firmament of heaven. . . . Let the earth bring
forth living creatures. . . . It’s not good for man to be alone.” All
these declarations deal with Creation and with establishing humanity
in that Creation. As we saw yesterday, the next declarative statement
recorded in the Bible occurs in Genesis 3:14, 15, in which the Lord
offers humanity the gospel.
Thus, in Scripture, God’s initial statements deal with Creation and
then with redemption—and this redemption occurs in the context of
judgment itself. It would have to. After all, what’s the purpose of the
gospel, what’s the good news, if there were no judgment, no con-
demnation from which to be spared? The very concept of the gospel
carries within itself the concept of condemnation, a condemnation that
we don’t have to face. That’s the good news!
Though we have violated God’s law and though God will judge
those violations, in Christ Jesus we are spared the condemnation that
this judgment would, inevitably, bring.
Creation
, gospel, and judgment appear not only in the early pages
of the Bible but in the latter, as well. Read Revelation 14:6, 7.
In what ways are these verses linked to the first three chapters
of Genesis? That is, what parallel ideas are found in all these
verses?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
In Revelation 14:6, 7 we see a declaration of God as the Creator, a
key theme in the opening pages of Genesis. In Revelation 14, how-
ever, the “everlasting gospel” comes first and then is followed by the
announcement of judgment, as in Genesis 3. Judgment is there, but
not before the gospel. Thus, the foundation of our present-truth mes-
sage has to be grace, the good news that, though we deserve condem-
nation, we can stand pardoned, purified, and justified through Jesus.
Without the gospel, our destiny would be the same as the serpent’s
and his seed, not the destiny of the woman and her seed. And, fasci-
natingly enough, this great news appears even in Eden, in God’s first
words to a fallen world.
52
friday
February 8
Further Study:
“God gave our first parents the food He designed
that the race should eat. It was contrary to His plan to have the life
of any creature taken. There was to be no death in Eden.”—Ellen G.
White, Counsels for the Church, p. 228.
“Satan represents God’s law of love as a law of selfishness. He
declares that it is impossible for us to obey its precepts. The fall of
our first parents, with all the woe that has resulted, he charges upon
the Creator, leading men to look upon God as the author of sin, and
suffering, and death. Jesus was to unveil this deception.”—Ellen G.
White, The Desire of Ages, p. 24.
“But man was not abandoned to the results of the evil he had cho-
sen. In the sentence pronounced upon Satan was given an intimation
of redemption. . . . This sentence, spoken in the hearing of our first
parents, was to them a promise. Before they heard of the thorn and the
thistle, of the toil and sorrow that must be their portion, or of the dust
to which they must return, they listened to words that could not fail of
giving them hope. All that had been lost by yielding to Satan could be
regained through Christ.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 27.
Discussion Questions:
l In class, go over your answer to Monday’s final question.
What kind of rules do we make that could turn us into the very
people Jesus condemned? At the same time, how can we make
commitments that might help us better to follow the principles
of truth as revealed in the Bible?
l Eve trusted her senses instead of a very clear command from
God. Why do we find it so easy to do the same thing?
l Dwell on the obvious contrast between the Creation story
and the various evolutionary ideas that depict natural evil as
being part of God’s original creative process. Why is it impos-
sible to harmonize such conflicting views of our origins without
ultimately destroying the plain meaning of the Bible? Why is a
correct understanding of Creation important in order to gain a
correct understanding of the Fall?
l Some cultures find the idea of a literal devil nothing but
foolishness; others, in contrast, can be obsessed with the power
of evil and evil spirits. What about your culture? What’s the
tendency, and how can you learn to strike the right balance when
dealing with the reality of the supernatural battles in which we
find ourselves?
1
2
3
1
2
3
4
S
tor
i n s i d e
53
Kayaks on a Mission
They’re off! Thirty-one kayakers wearing life jackets, hats, and eager
smiles embarked on a five-day mission adventure down the Rospuda
River in Poland.
Their colorful kayaks were crammed with sleeping bags, tents, clothes,
and food, and their most important cargo—magazines and books to share
with people they would meet along their route. Their goal was to bring the
people hope found only in Jesus.
When the kayakers came to a village, they docked their boats and set
out to visit every home, praying with people and offering them literature
about Jesus. Along their route they shared 3,500 copies of the newspa-
per edition of Signs of the Times and sold hundreds of books, including
Messiah and The Great Controversy on CD. They even met people who
remembered buying books from them on a previous trip down the river.
“It’s wonderful to hear that people have read our books and received a
blessing,” says Piotr Stachurski, church pastor and kayaker.
This was the fourth kayak mission trip for members of a Seventh-day
Adventist church near Warsaw and some of their friends. This time almost
half the group was young—between the ages of 7 and 15. “It’s great to
see our young people eager to become involved in mission,” says Pastor
Stachurski. “They learn from the adults how to share Jesus’ love, and their
enthusiasm encourages the rest of us.”
The 41-mile (60-kilometer) river trip took kayakers through pristine forests
and marshy meadows. Paddling about eleven miles a day, the team made
plenty of time for outreach and Christian fellowship. At night they gathered
around a campfire to worship God and pray for the people they had met that
day.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Poland is small, with about fifty-
seven hundred members. That’s one Seventh-day Adventist for every
6,600 people. “The work is difficult in Poland,” says Pastor Roszkowski,
Global Mission director for the Polish Union Conference. “Poles want to
catch up with Western Europe, often working two jobs. They have little
time to read the Bible.”
For many of the villagers the mission team members were the first
Seventh-day Adventists they had ever met. The trip was funded in part by
the mission offerings you give each week in Sabbath School.
“Our church is so thankful for the opportunity to share the hope we have
in Jesus,” says Pastor Stachurski. “We know people are reading the mate-
rial we’ve given them, and some have requested Bible studies. It’s my
hope that our kayak mission story will help you know that your support of
mission is making an incredible difference in people’s lives.”
PioTr sTacHurski is secretary of the South Polish Conference.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
US$19.99
Hardcover
ISBN 10: 0-8163-2428-X
©2012 Pacific Press
®
Publishing Association
Please contact your ABC
for pricing in Canada.
25590262
Established scientists and scholars
committed to the authority of the
Bible and to the Adventist message
have collaborated in the preparation
of this book containing concise and
persuasive answers to some of the
common questions on science and
faith.
Understanding Creation
will
strengthen the faith of
young adult members
around the world.
P
eople in remote regions
of the South Pacific live
without conveniences we
take for granted. Most will
never visit a hospital or see
a doctor in their lifetime.
If they fall ill from malaria,
tuberculosis, typhoid fever,
or pneumonia, or if they are
injured, the nearest help
could be several hours—or
even days—away.
Adventists are responding
to these needs. Dozens of
simple clinics staffed by
Adventist nurses provide
the only medical care
available to thousands of
people in isolated regions of
the South Pacific Division.
But thousands more still
need clinics and nurses to
treat their life-threatening
injuries and illnesses. I’m
glad that our Thirteenth
Sabbath Offering this
quarter will help provide
more clinics to the people
of Papua New Guinea and
across the South Pacific. I
want these people to know
that God—and Adventists—
care for them. For me
it’s personal.
They May Never
See a Doctor
13-1-ABSG Ad.indd 1 7/12/12 6:02 PM
56
L e s s o n
7
*February 9–15
Through a Glass, Darkly
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Job 41:11; 1 Cor. 6:19,
20; Gen. 3:17; John 12:31; 1 Cor. 1:18–21.
Memory Text:
“The wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s
sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’
(1 Corinthians 3:19, NIV).
T
heologian William Paley wrote a book in 1802 entitled Natural
Theology, in which he argued that one can use observations of
nature in order to develop an understanding of God’s character.
He wrote extensively on the ways in which the features of animals
exhibited the care and skill of the Creator. Paley may have made too
much of some features, however, because he failed to recognize the
effects that both sin and the Fall have had on nature, but his general
argument has never been refuted—despite numerous and vociferous
claims to the contrary!
Charles Darwin, in contrast, argued that a God who designed every
feature of nature would not be good. As evidence, he referred to a
parasite that feeds within the living bodies of caterpillars and the cruel
way in which a cat will play with a mouse. For him, these examples
were evidence against the existence of a loving Creator God.
Though Paley was obviously closer to truth than was Darwin, this
week’s lesson will examine what the Bible has to say regarding the
question of what it is that nature reveals, and does not reveal, about
God.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 16.
57
Sunday
February 10
The Earth Is the Lord’s
A scientist once challenged the need for God; he argued that he
could create humanity just as well as any God could. God said, “OK,
go ahead and do it.” The scientist began to gather some dirt, but God
said, “Wait a minute. Make your own dirt!”
Though this story is only a fable, the point is clear: God is the only
One who can create from nothing. God made all the material of the
universe, including our world, our possessions, and our bodies. He is
the legitimate owner of every thing.
What’s
the basic message to us in these texts? More important, what
does this message tell us about the way in which we should relate
to the world, one another, and to God? Ps. 24:1, 2; Job 41:11; Ps.
50:10; Isa. 43:1, 2; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
A favorite Christian hymn begins with the words, “This is my
Father’s world.” It truly is our Father’s world, because He created it.
There is no more legitimate claim to ownership than creatorship. God
created and therefore owns the entire universe, the heavens and the
earth, and all that is in them.
Not only does the world belong to God, He claims ownership of
every creature on earth, as well. No other being (at least that we know
of) has the power to create life. God is the only Creator and, as such,
the ultimate owner of every creature. We are all completely dependent
on God for our existence. We cannot give God anything except our
allegiance; everything else on earth is His already.
More so, we are God’s not only by creation but, even more impor-
tant, by redemption. Though a wonderful gift from God, human life
has been greatly damaged through sin, and it will end in death, a
prospect that denudes life of all meaning and purpose. Life, as it now
exists for us, isn’t all that great. Our only hope is the wonderful prom-
ise of redemption, the only thing that can make things “right” again.
Thus, we are Christ’s by creation and by redemption.
58
Monday
February 11
A Fallen World
One thing is certain: the world in which we now live is vastly dif-
ferent from the one that came forth from the Lord at the end of the
Creation week. Certainly, powerful evidence of beauty and design
exist almost everywhere; however, we are sin-damaged beings living
in and trying to understand a sin-damaged world. Even before the
Flood, the world had been negatively impacted by sin. “In the days
of Noah a double curse was resting upon the earth in consequence of
Adam’s transgression and of the murder committed by Cain.”—Ellen
G. White, Conflict and Courage, p. 32.
How
was the world “cursed,” and what were the results of those
curses? Gen. 3:17; 4:11, 12; 5:29.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The curse on the ground for Adam’s sake must have involved
the plant kingdom, because its results would include the production
of thorns and thistles. The implication is that all of the creation is
affected by the curses resulting from sin. The Ellen G. White quote
above states very clearly that the curse upon Cain was not limited
merely to him but rested on the whole world.
Unfortunately, the curses due to sin didn’t end here—because the
world faced another curse, which greatly damaged it. That, of course,
was the worldwide Flood. “And the Lord smelled a sweet savour;
and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any
more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from
his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I
have done” (Gen. 8:21).
The Flood disrupted the system of watering that God had established
at Creation, stripping the soil from parts of the earth and depositing
it in other parts. Even now, rain continues to leach the soil, robbing
it of its fertility and further reducing the crop yield. God graciously
promised not to curse the earth again, but the soil we have inherited is
a far cry from the rich, productive soil God originally created.
Read Romans 8:19–22. Though these are difficult verses, how
do they relate to what we have looked at today? More impor-
tant, what inherent hope can we derive from them?
______________________________________________________
59
Tuesday
February 12
The Ruler of This World
“The Lord said unto Satan, ‘Whence comest thou?’ Then Satan
answered the Lord, and said, ‘From going to and fro in the earth,
and from walking up and down in it’ ” (Job 1:7).
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roar-
ing lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
As we have seen, the world belongs to God, both by creation and
by redemption. But we mustn’t forget, either, the reality of Satan,
the reality of the great controversy, and the reality of Satan’s attempt
to wrest control over all that he possibly can. Even though, after the
Cross, his defeat was made certain, he’s not going down quietly or
gently. His wrath and destructive power, though limited to a degree by
God in ways that we certainly don’t understand now, must never be
underestimated. We mustn’t forget, either, that however often issues
may come to us in shades of gray, the ultimate battle boils down to
only two forces: Christ and Satan. There is no middle ground. And, as
we know, so much of this world falls under the banner of the wrong
side. Is it any wonder then that the world is so damaged?
Read
John 12:31, 14:30, 16:11, Ephesians 2:2, 6:12. What important
truth about the reality and power of the evil one is found in these
texts?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
In the book of Job, some of the veil that hides the reality of the
great controversy is pulled back, and we can see that Satan does have
the ability to cause great destruction in the natural world. Whatever
the phrase “the prince of this world” entails, it’s clear that in this role
Satan still exerts a powerful and destructive influence on the earth.
This truth gives us all the more reason to realize that the natural world
has been greatly damaged, and we need to be very careful about the
lessons that we draw from it regarding God. After all, look at how
badly Darwin misinterpreted the state of the world.
In what ways can you see, clearly, the destructive influence
of Satan in your own life? Why is the Cross and the promises
found in it your hope?
60
Wednesday
February 13
The “Wisdom” of the World
As humans, we have gained an incredible amount of knowl-
edge and information, especially in the last two hundred years.
Knowledge and information, however, are not necessarily the same
thing as wisdom. We have also gained a much greater understand-
ing of the natural world than our forefathers ever had. A greater
understanding, however, isn’t the same thing as wisdom either.
Read
1 Corinthians 1:18–21, 3:18–21. How do we see the powerful
truths of these words manifested in our time and context today,
almost two thousand years after they were written?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
There is so much in human thought that challenges God’s Word.
Whether the issue is the resurrection of Jesus, the creation itself, or
any miracle, human “wisdom” (even when buttressed with the “facts”
of science) must be deemed “foolishness” when it contradicts the
Word of the Lord.
Also, as stated earlier, so much science today, especially in the con-
text of human origins, begins from a purely naturalistic perspective.
Even though many of history’s greatest scientific geniuses—Newton,
Kepler, Galileo—were believers in God and saw their work as helping
to explain the work of God in creation (Kepler once wrote, “O God,
I think Thy thoughts after Thee”), such sentiments today are often
mocked by segments of the scientific community.
Some even seek to explain away the miraculous stories in the
Bible by arguing that they were really naturally occurring phenomena
that the ancients, ignorant of nature’s laws, misinterpreted as divine
action. There are, for instance, all sorts of naturalist theories that
seek to explain the parting of the Red Sea as something other than a
miracle of God. A few years ago, one scientist speculated that Moses
was on drugs, and so he just hallucinated the idea that God gave him
the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone!
However silly some of this might sound, once you reject the idea
of God and the supernatural, you need to come up with some other
explanation for these things; hence, the “foolishness” that Paul so
clearly and prophetically wrote about.
61
Thursday
February 14
Through the Eye of Faith
Psalm 8 is one of the best loved of the psalms. To David, as
a believer in God, the Creation spoke of the Lord’s majesty
and love. What specific lessons did David see in the creation, as
recorded in Psalm 8? Also, considering what we know about the
creation today—the moon and the stars and so forth—in contrast
to what was known back then, why should David’s words seem
even all the more remarkable?
________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________
Only in the last hundred years have we really come to begin to
grasp the vastness of the cosmos and, hence, our physical smallness in
comparison. One can’t even imagine someone like David, apart from
divine revelation, having any idea of just how big the “heavens” were.
If he was in awe back then, how much more so should we be, knowing
that, despite the size of the universe, God loves us with a love that we
can’t even begin to fathom?
Read
Psalm 19:1–4. What did David see in the heavens?
________________________________________________________
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________________________________________________________
Many have looked up at the stars at night and recognized the great-
ness of God and the smallness of humanity and have praised God for
His care. Others have focused on the problem of evil in nature and
blamed God for the problems that are, in fact, the result of their own
choices or of the devil’s activities.
To the believer, the creation truly speaks of God’s care, even amid
the evil introduced by Satan. Yet, even as powerful of a testimony and
witness that the created world is, the revelation is incomplete, espe-
cially due to the results of the Fall and the curses it has brought.
Read John 14:9 and then think about Jesus on the cross. Why
must the Cross always be the main revelation to us of the nature
and character of God?
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friday
February 15
Further Study:
“I have been warned [1890] that henceforth we
shall have a constant contest. Science, so called, and religion will be
placed in opposition to each other, because finite men do not compre-
hend the power and greatness of God. These words of Holy Writ were
presented to me, ‘Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking per-
verse things, to draw away disciples after them.’”—Ellen G. White,
Medical Ministry, p. 98.
Discussion Questions:
l Think about the “threefold curse” (Ellen G. White, Spiritual
Gifts, vol. 3, p. 88) on this earth (the curse from Adam’s fall,
from Cain’s sin, and from the Flood). The cumulative effect of
these curses, compounded over thousands of years, means that
our present world is much different from the way that it was
when God first created it. Why, then, must we be careful regard-
ing the conclusions that we draw from the present world about
what it was like in the beginning?
l Think about the work that science does, especially in the area
of origins. There are no written labels to explain what we see.
Science is entirely a human undertaking, and the human mind
is limited in its scope and is prone to resist divine authority.
Furthermore, Satan’s influence is strongly felt in nature, so that
much of what we see is incompatible with God’s self-revelation
in the Bible. Why is it so important that we place greater confi-
dence in Scripture than we do in science, especially when consid-
ering unique events such as the Creation of our world?
l We do not understand all aspects of the tension between
Scripture and science, but God is far wiser than we are, and we
must acknowledge that there is more to the creation than science
can ever discover. Why should we, in fact, not be surprised to
find some tension between the supernatural events recorded in
the Bible and the materialistic approach of science?
l Look at the Ellen G. White quote above. In what ways are we
seeing this being fulfilled in our own church? How can we deal
with these dangerous challenges to our mission and message in a
way that—while never compromising our position on Creation
and the Word of God—still keeps the church a “safe place” for
those who are struggling with these difficult questions?
l Read Romans 11:33–36 and Job 40:1, 2, 7, 8. How reliable is
human wisdom when attempting to understand the ways of God?
What should be our attitude toward the difficulties that we encoun-
ter when trying to find harmony between science and Scripture?
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The Rebel Rebels
Prakash was a Maoist terrorist living in the jungles of Asia. Although
only in his 20s, he had risen to the position of commander for his political
party in his village and the surrounding area. He had been taught to torture
or kill anyone who did not follow the teachings of his political party or
give in to his demands. His word was law!
He left his home and lived with his troops in the mountain jungles.
They raided the nearby villages and terrorized the people. When the rebels
needed food or money, they would simply enter a village and take what
they wanted.
One day Prakash and his troops entered a Seventh-day Adventist church,
planning to steal the offering, terrorize the members, and burn down the
church. But God had other plans. When Prakash demanded that the pastor
give him the offering, the pastor answered bravely, “Take God’s money,
but if you give your life to Jesus, He will change you completely.”
Prakash thought little of the pastor’s words, but some of his troops
deserted his command and joined the church. When Prakash talked with
these former rebels, he noticed remarkable changes in their characters.
Could Jesus change me too? he wondered.
Then Prakash discovered a program on the radio called Ashako Bani.
The speaker talked about Jesus. As Prakash listened, he sensed that his life
was changing, just as the pastor said it would. Prakash became aware that
life was precious; he could no longer torture or kill.
Prakash knew that he must leave the rebels, but he had taken an oath.
“Keep your promise or be killed,” he was told. But Prakash gave his life
to Christ; he was not afraid.
One day Prakash called the studio of Adventist World Radio, which
produces the program that had brought him to Jesus. “I believe in Jesus
and know that you teach from the Bible,” he said. “I listen to your pro-
grams, and I tell my friends to listen, as well. Because of your program the
word of God has reached my village, and people all around have come to
know about the true God.”
Recently Prakash was baptized. His mother, seeing the changes in her
son, now believes in Jesus too.
Adventist World Radio is an effective tool for reaching people who
may never come to know Jesus in any other way. Your mission offerings
help to support the work of Adventist World Radio and other outreach
programs in every corner of the world.
dowell cHow is president of Adventist World Radio.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
64
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8
*February 16–22
Jesus, Provider and
Sustainer
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Heb. 1:3; Col. 1:16, 17;
Job 42; Matt. 5:45; 6:25–34; 10:28.
Memory Text:
“And my God will meet all your needs according
to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19, NIV).
G
od sustains the creation in such regular ways that the universe
is sometimes compared to a machine that God left to run on
its own.
Rather than a machine, however, a better metaphor is that the cre-
ation is like a musical instrument that God uses to produce the desired
“melody.” That is, He is constantly involved in sustaining what He
has created.
Nothing in the universe exists independently of the Lord. He cre-
ated everything that was created. “Through him all things were made;
without him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:3, NIV).
Not only that, He is the One who sustains it all. Even more astonish-
ing, the One who created and sustains it all was the One who was
crucified for us.
“The apostle Paul, writing by the Holy Spirit, declares of Christ
that ‘all things have been created through Him, and unto Him; and He
is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.’ Colossians
1:16, 17, R.V., margin. The hand that sustains the worlds in space, the
hand that holds in their orderly arrangement and tireless activity all
things throughout the universe of God, is the hand that was nailed to
the cross for us.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 132.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, February 23.
65
Sunday
February 17
The Sustainer
Read
Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:16, 17. What is the role of Jesus
in the ongoing existence of the universe?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The implication here is that Jesus continues to sustain the existence
of the universe by His power. The universe is not independent; its
existence depends on the continuous exercise of divine will. This is a
refutation of deism, the philosophy that teaches that God created the
world to govern itself and then left it to evolve without any further
action on His part. The Bible rules out such theories.
Also, God is not within the creation, constantly creating it, as in the
false theories of pantheism (God and the universe are the same thing) or
panentheism (God inhabits the universe as though it were His own body).
God is not dependent on the universe in any way. He is separate from
the universe. He existed and continues to exist, independently of it. The
universe depends on God; God does not depend on the universe.
Read
1 Corinthians 8:6 and Acts 17:28. How does Paul describe our
relationship to Jesus?
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________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
We are dependent on God’s sustaining power, moment by moment,
day by day. It is because of His love that we continue to exist and are
able to act and also form relationships. This is true in a special way
for those who have committed themselves to God and who are, as
Paul would describe it, “in Christ” (2 Cor. 5:17, Eph. 2:10; note the
references to creation in these texts). It is also true that even those
who reject salvation are, nevertheless, dependent on God’s sustaining
power for their existence. Daniel made this point very poignantly to
King Belshazzar when he said, “The God in whose hand thy breath is,
and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified” (Dan. 5:23).
With all this in mind, how do we understand the reality of free
will and free choice? Why are these elements of our existence so
important to all that we believe?
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Monday
February 18
The Generous Provider
Genesis 1:29, 30 shows that when God first created living creatures,
He provided food for them. Herbs, fruits, and seeds were the food
chosen for both humans and animals. Nothing is said of predation or
competition for resources. The generous Provider made plenty of food
for everyone to partake in without any need for violence.
What a contrast to the common models for existence proposed by
evolutionary theory, which teaches that human life, indeed all life,
exists only through a violent process of predation and survival of the
fittest. The early chapters of Genesis know nothing about that. On the
contrary, they reveal a world that was, literally, a paradise from the
beginning. That’s why, when the Lord had finished creating it, the
Bible records these words: “And God saw every thing that he had
made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morn-
ing were the sixth day” (Gen. 1:31).
Read
Genesis 2:8, 9. What does this passage indicate about God’s
special interest in providing for Adam and Eve?
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We already noted that God had provided food for all His creatures,
including humans. Now we see God going a step further. Not only
does He provide food in abundance throughout the earth, but He has
prepared a special Garden for Adam and Eve, with trees that were
pleasing to the eye and good for food (see Gen. 2:9). The Garden,
with its beauty and its variety of food, was a provision of God’s
extravagant love and grace. It was a gift of grace because Adam and
Eve had done nothing to earn it, but it was freely offered and abun-
dantly furnished.
As stated in an earlier lesson, we are far removed from the original
Creation. Ours is a greatly damaged world. Nothing on the earth, it
seems, has been spared either. Yet, even amid the damage, powerful
evidence of God’s love exists.
“Nature is a power, but the God of nature is unlimited in power.
His works interpret his character. Those who judge him from
his handiworks, and not from the suppositions of great men,
will see his presence in everything.”—Ellen G. White, Signs of
the Times, March 13, 1884. Look at nature; in what ways do we
see “his presence in everything”?
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Tuesday
February 19
Natural Evil
Of course, one of the great questions that all believers in a loving
God have had to deal with is the question of evil; not just human evil
but what is called “natural evil.” This natural evil occurs when bad
things happen in nature (floods, hurricanes, drought, earthquakes,
etc.) that cause so much pain and suffering, not just for humans but
for animals as well.
How are we to understand these things? After all, if God is in con-
trol of the creation, why would such things happen?
One of the earliest books of the Bible is the book of Job, where
these questions (and others) became painfully real for Job (see week
four).
Read
Job 42. What does this chapter answer for us? What questions
remain unanswered?
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________________________________________________________
Anyone who has ever read the book of Job came away with, per-
haps, more questions than answers. The book does reveal important
truths about the great controversy (see also Rev. 12:12), which help
to form a background crucial for us to even begin to understand the
existence of evil. The great controversy scenario, however, doesn’t
explain every instance of evil. In fact, to explain evil would in a sense
be to justify it, and we can never do that. The great controversy can
reveal the grand issues behind evil; the motif tells us little, if anything,
about each instance of evil.
Job did not understand, and neither do we when we face such cata-
strophic losses. Although God spoke to Job, He did not provide the
answer to Job’s questions, nor did He explain the cause of what hap-
pened. He simply reminded Job that there were things beyond his knowl-
edge and that he would have to trust God, which Job did. Our experience
is often similar; we may not receive an answer to our questions. But the
story of Job does give us important insight into the nature of evil, and it
shows us that God is not unaware of the struggles that we face.
Go back to Sabbath’s introduction and read the Ellen G. White
quote. How does that help us to come to grips better with the
question of evil, knowing that God Himself suffered greatly
from it, as well?
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Wednesday
February 20
Governing a Damaged Creation
Read
Matthew 5:45 and Psalm 65:9, 10. How does God act in cre-
ation in order to maintain the creatures that He created? What
does this tell us about God’s interest in the created world?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
We are familiar with sunshine and rain, and scientists have provided
explanations for the processes involved in each. Yet, there is more to
the story than science can tell. Behind the scenes, God is actively pro-
viding for the necessities of His creatures. We may not understand His
ways, but we know He is in control. Just as a skilled musician may
play an instrument to produce music so beautiful that one’s attention
is focused on the music rather than on the musician, so God orders
the creation so that we often see the order and are impressed with the
majesty of the creation. At the same time we may not recognize that
God is behind the scenes, ordering events according to His will and
intending that all things will eventually work together for the good of
those who love Him (Rom. 8:28).
What
similar phenomenon is noted in the following texts? Gen. 8:1,
Exod. 10:13, Num. 11:31.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Wind is a common event, and we generally understand what causes it.
But in these texts, the winds occur in special circumstances. We might
call them “providential winds.” They occur at specific times and places
and accomplish specific purposes. Though they may appear “natural,”
there is an unseen Cause working out the purposes of His own will, using
features of the world that He created to accomplish His own purposes.
In 2 Kings 20:9–11, we see one of the most unusual miracles of the
entire Bible. The relationship of sun and earth and day length seems like
one of the most stable and predictable features of human experience.
Imagine the reaction of today’s scientific community if a similar event
should occur in our day. Yet, we must ask, “Is any thing too hard for the
Lord?” (Gen. 18:14). What this miracle and others should tell us is that
there is much about the creation, and God’s actions in His creation, that
is way beyond our understanding. That’s why it’s so crucial that we come
to a personal knowledge of God and know for ourselves the reality of His
love. That way, we learn to trust Him despite all that we don’t understand.
69
Thursday
February 21
Provider for a Damaged Creation
“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they
reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matt. 6:26).
Even after Adam and Eve sinned and could no longer enter the
Garden, God provided for their immediate physical needs (Gen.
3:21). Sin brought a new need, the need for clothing. Adam and
Eve tried to provide clothing for themselves, but fig leaves were
quite unsatisfactory. Something better was needed, which God
provided in the form of skins. (We will consider more of the
meaning of the skins in another lesson.) The point is that God
provided for their needs, even though they had fallen into sin.
This is another example of God’s grace providing for us despite
our unworthiness.
Read
Matthew 6:25–34. What crucial message is Jesus giving us with
these words? How are we to understand them in the face of the
trials and tragedies that are such a part of so many lives?
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________________________________________________________
These are very comforting words, and we need to cling to them with
all our hearts, souls, and minds, especially in times of great suffering,
loss, and need. Jesus died for us, not for the lilies or the birds. We
can be sure of His love for us, regardless of the circumstances. And
yet, as we all know, circumstances can at times be quite appalling.
We see famine, drought, floods, epidemics, and death all around, and
Christians are not immune to these tragedies either.
God does not promise His people a life of luxury without pain, but
He does promise to provide for our needs and to strengthen us so that
we may cope with our challenges. We just can’t forget the reality of
the great controversy and that we are in a fallen world.
Read Matthew 10:28. How could this verse, read in conjunction
with the verses for today, help us to deal better with the harsh
realities that we often face?
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70
friday
February 22
Further Study:
“Yet men of science think that they can com-
prehend the wisdom of God, that which He has done or can do. The
idea largely prevails that He is restricted by His own laws. Men
either deny or ignore His existence, or think to explain everything,
even the operation of His Spirit upon the human heart; and they no
longer reverence His name or fear His power. They do not believe
in the supernatural, not understanding God’s laws or His infinite
power to work His will through them. As commonly used, the term
‘laws of nature’ comprises what men have been able to discover
with regard to the laws that govern the physical world; but how
limited is their knowledge, and how vast the field in which the
Creator can work in harmony with His own laws and yet wholly
beyond the comprehension of finite beings!”—Ellen G. White,
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 114.
(See also Ellen G. White, “Laws of Nature,” pp. 259–261 in
Testimonies for the Church, vol. 8.)
Discussion Questions:
l Read carefully the Ellen White statement above. What is she
saying? In what ways do we see many scientists today doing
exactly what she says?
l Modern science today is much better than it used to be at
explaining, through natural means, why certain things happen
or why they don’t. The problem isn’t with “natural means”
or “natural laws” but with the idea that these means and laws
are all that exist—that there is nothing, and certainly no super-
natural forces, ultimately behind them. What’s wrong with this
assumption? Why does it make no logical sense (ask yourself,
From where did these laws originate?), and why is that idea so
contrary to the most basic teaching of the Bible?
l How does the image of creation as a musical instrument provide
a more accurate picture of God’s relationship to the creation
than does the image of creation as a machine?
l What other examples can you find in Scripture where God
caused special events in what we would consider to be merely
“forces of nature”? See, for example, 1 Kings 19:11, 12.
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Ministry to the Military
Kitoli is a Global Mission pioneer in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo (DRC). His unique ministry is to members of the military
in the DRC. He has worked in several military camps and has brought
many soldiers to Christ, often hiring motorcyclists to take military
personnel to evangelistic meetings in their area.
Recently Global Mission pioneers joined local pastors in the DRC
to reach the people in Beni, a city of about a half million people
located on the edge of a thick forest. Few Seventh-day Adventists live
in the region, and the local Adventist mission planned to blanket the
city with Bible studies and prayer as part of Global Mission’s Hope
for Big Cities program. The Global Mission pioneers met in Beni to
go from door to door, sharing the gospel and inviting the people to
take Bible studies. Kitoli, true to his calling, focused his efforts on
reaching members of the military stationed in Beni. He made friends
and shared his faith with a number of soldiers. When evangelistic
meetings were arranged, Kitoli was asked to hold meetings near the
military barracks.
Following the efforts to blanket the city with Bible studies and vis-
its, Global Mission pioneers joined local pastors to hold evangelistic
meetings in several strategic locations throughout the city. Kitoli held
his meetings near the military installations around the city. Many
soldiers attended Kitoli’s meetings. When the meetings had ended,
more than two hundred fifty people across the city of Beni made
decisions for Christ and prepared to be baptized. One of them was an
army lieutenant colonel named Sikiliza, who had been touched by the
messages of hope and power in Jesus Christ. Sikiliza stepped forward
to be baptized, wearing his military uniform. In his testimony before
his baptism, he acknowledged the hand of God in his life and vowed
to remain faithful to his newfound faith.
Following the evangelistic series, Kitoli returned to his work, where
he reaches out to as many soldiers as he can. His goal is to provide
Bibles and Bible study lessons to as many members of the military as
possible, and he hopes to plant several churches near military bases.
Your mission offerings help to maintain church groups planted by
Global Mission pioneers in the DRC and throughout the world. Thank
you for faithfully supporting the mission of the church through your
offerings.
noaH k. musema is the Adventist Mission coordinator in the East-Central Africa
Division, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
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9
*February 23–March 1
Marriage: A Gift From
Eden
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Gen. 2:18–25, Mark 10:7–9,
Eph. 5:22–25, Matt. 5:27–30.
Memory Text:
“And the Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the
man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him’ ”
(Genesis 2:18).
T
hink of the blessings of a happy marriage and a loving home.
How fortunate are those who have such an experience!
Unfortunately, for too many people marriage has been an
experience of mostly pain and anger rather than of joy and peace. This
is not how it was intended or how it should be. The sad state of so
many marriages is a powerful expression of the degradation that sin
has brought to the human race.
“God celebrated the first marriage. Thus the institution has for
its originator the Creator of the universe. ‘Marriage is honorable’
(Hebrews 13:4); it was one of the first gifts of God to man, and it is
one of the two institutions that, after the Fall, Adam brought with him
beyond the gates of Paradise. When the divine principles are recog-
nized and obeyed in this relation, marriage is a blessing; it guards the
purity and happiness of the race, it provides for man’s social needs, it
elevates the physical, the intellectual, and the moral nature.”—Ellen
G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 46.
What a wonderful ideal. This week’s lesson looks at some of the
principles behind it.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 2.
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Sunday
February 24
Lo Tov
Out of a primeval abyss God created our world through the supernat-
ural power of His Word. All through the Creation account, everything
was “good” until the work was completed, at which point everything
the Lord had created was pronounced “very good” (Gen. 1:31).
In
the midst of all this, however, one thing was lo tov, “not good.” Read
Genesis 2:18. What was “not good,” and why? What are some of
the implications of this text?
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________________________________________________________
God had declared all aspects of the Creation “good” up to the time
that He created Adam. At that point, Adam was the only human.
Although he was made in the image of God, in his aloneness he could
not reflect the full image of God, who exists in relationship with other
parts of the Godhead. The Godhead, of course, is composed of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Thus, Adam needed someone
like himself with whom he could form a relationship of mutual love
and cooperation, reflecting the loving relationship exemplified within
the Godhead.
Read
Genesis 2:19–21. After what act does God cause Adam to sleep
and then, from his flesh, create a wife? How might the previous
act be related to God’s creation of a wife for Adam?
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________________________________________________________
Perhaps the key here is found in the last phrase of verse 20. As he
named the animals, Adam must have noticed that they came in pairs
(male and female) unlike himself, who was a singular creation. We
can be sure that the Lord all along intended for Adam to have a wife.
Perhaps the Lord intended to create a longing in Adam, the sense that
something was missing in his own existence, which would make him
that much more appreciative of the gift that the Lord was going to
give him in a wife.
Consider the contrast between the “good” of the rest of the
Creation and the declaration of “not good” in regard to Adam’s
solitude. What does this indicate about the value of relation-
ships? What can you do to help to strengthen whatever valuable
relationships that you are in now?
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Monday
February 25
A Companion for Adam
Genesis 2:20, in which Adam names the animals, helps to reveal
the great gap between humans and other earthly creatures. There was
no animal that was comparable to Adam. Not even among the apes
was there any creature like Adam, because Adam was not like an ape.
This is an important point for us to remember because so many in our
society promote the idea that humans are nothing more than advanced
apes. We are not apes, and an ape was no more suitable as a compan-
ion for Adam than it would be for one of us.
Read
Genesis 2:21, 22. What significance is found in the method by
which God created a companion for Adam?
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________________________________________________________
As God had personally crafted Adam’s body from the dust of the
ground, so He personally crafted Eve’s body, using one of Adam’s
ribs. God did not need Adam’s rib to create Eve; He could have cre-
ated her as He had created Adam or even spoken her into existence.
But God had a reason for forming Eve out of one of Adam’s ribs. If
the two had been created completely separately, it could indicate that
by nature they were completely independent individuals. But the shar-
ing of flesh in both persons indicates that the two were to be united
and were intended to be “one flesh.”
After being created, Eve was brought to Adam to be his helper
(vs. 18). She was made from Adam (vs. 22) and given to Adam (vs.
22). The process by which God created Eve showed clearly that God
could provide any companion that Adam needed. This point became
important later when Adam faced the temptation of whether to join
Eve in the eating of the fruit or to trust God to take care of the situa-
tion. Adam had ample reason to believe that God could take care of
him, and this made his sin the more grievous.
Read
Genesis 2:23. What was Adam’s response to Eve?
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________________________________________________________
Adam was so excited when he saw Eve that he sang out in poetry.
This is the first poem in the Bible and reflects Adam’s regard for his
wife and the closeness of their relationship. She was to be his equal,
another aspect of Creation that was damaged by the Fall.
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Tuesday
February 26
Ideal Marriage
Author William Faulkner once called marriage a “failure” and
wrote that “the only way to get any peace out of it is . . . to keep the
first one [wife] and stay as far away from her as much as you can, with
the hope of some day outliving her.” What a sad commentary on the
state of many marriages.
Read
Mark 10:7–9. What texts did Jesus quote in this passage? What
characteristics of a good marriage can be found in the words of
Jesus here?
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________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The benefits of leaving one’s parents in order to create a home
with one’s spouse are so well known that they hardly need to be men-
tioned. Problems with in-laws are one of the leading causes of marital
discord. One of the first steps to take when establishing a happy home
is to respect the independence of the marriage partners by the estab-
lishment of a home separate from their parents when at all possible.
In cases when it is not possible, the privacy and intimacy of marriage
should still be respected.
Unity is another feature of a good marriage. Unity does not mean
that the two partners should give up the use of their separate brains
but that they should be united in their purpose to do the very best for
each other and for their union.
Jesus also emphasized the lasting nature of marriage. Marriage is
not a casual relationship to be entered into or dismissed at will. It is
a lifetime commitment. Those who are not prepared to commit them-
selves for life should postpone such a step until they are ready.
Read
Ephesians 5:22–25. In what way do these verses reveal the
principles of a good marriage?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
It is the husband’s privilege to give himself to his wife in loving ser-
vice, as Christ gave Himself for the church. In turn, the wife is to respect
her husband and to cooperate in their work toward their mutual goals.
Here is the solution to the discord that sin has brought into the marriage
relationship. Self-sacrificing love will be met by loving respect and
mutual happiness. Our homes can be a foretaste of heaven.
76
Wednesday
February 27
Protecting What’s Precious
One of the greatest examples of God’s love for humanity can be
found in human sexuality. It is truly a wonderful gift from God.
Yet, as with all the gifts that we have been given, it doesn’t come
unconditionally. That is, it’s not something we can just do with as
we please. God has set some rules. Indeed, He is very clear: sexual
activity is to be between a husband and wife, male and female, and
only in the context of marriage. Anything outside of that is sin.
Read
Matthew 5:27–30. Look at how seriously Jesus takes the
issues with which He is dealing here. What is, ultimately, at
stake?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
However much we like to focus (and rightly so) on all the grace
and forgiveness that Jesus bestows upon sinners, we can’t forget the
high standards of morality that He lived and preached. It’s hard to
imagine how Jesus could have expressed more strongly the warning
against sexual immorality as revealed in these few verses. Plucking
out your eye? Cutting off your hand? If this is what it takes to be
pure, then it’s worth it; otherwise, you are in danger of losing your
eternal life.
“If all who profess to obey the law of God were free from iniq-
uity, my soul would be delivered; but they are not. Even some who
profess to keep all the commandments of God are guilty of the sin
of adultery. What can I say to arouse their benumbed sensibilities?
Moral principle, strictly carried out, becomes the only safeguard of
the soul.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels on Health, pp. 621, 622.
However strong Jesus’ warning is here, we must not forget the
story about the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8:
1–11). How do we strike the right balance between the uphold-
ing of the standards that Jesus talked about in the above verses,
while at the same time showing grace and compassion to those
who fall, as revealed in this story?
______________________________________________________
77
Thursday
February 28
Marriage as a Metaphor for the
Church
It is well-known among students of the Bible that, both in the Old
Testament and in the New Testament, marriage is used as a symbol
of the relationship between God and His covenant people. That’s
why, for example, on numerous occasions the Bible uses the image
of an unfaithful woman to symbolize the apostasy and backsliding
that were prevalent in ancient Israel. For instance, back in Exodus,
the Lord said to His people that they should not enter into any kind
of close relationship with the pagans around them because the pagans
were a very perverse people who could lead Israel astray.
Read
Exodus 34:15, 16. What image does the Lord use in this specific
warning? How can this be understood in the context of God’s
people being “married” to Him? See Jer. 3:14.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
At the same time, the image of the church as the bride of Christ
points toward unity among believers and with Christ, especially when
understood in the context of the biblical ideal for marriage: one man
and one woman in a loving, self-sacrificing relationship.
Read
Ephesians 5:28–32 and Revelation 19:5–9. What are these texts
teaching?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
In these texts, the relationship within the ideal marriage is com-
pared with the relationship of God and His people. God invites His
people to join with Him in an intimate relationship. This is an amaz-
ing picture of God’s interest in His people and His desire to bring us
into His fellowship.
What choices can you make that will draw you closer to the
Lord and closer to the ideal represented in the biblical concept
of marriage? Why is it a matter of the choices that you, and you
alone, can make?
78
friday
March 1
Further Study:
In many ways a proper understanding of morality,
especially sexual morality, is clearly tied to a proper understanding of
our origins. For example: evolutionary philosophy does not provide
an objective basis for any link between sexual activity and moral-
ity. Animals have many different types of “mating systems.” Some
species are polygamous; many are promiscuous. A few species are
mostly monogamous, but genetic studies have revealed that many
species that appear to be monogamous are not actually so. In many
species, a female may give birth to a group of offspring that are not
all fathered by the same individual. Without the objective standard of
morality given by the Creator, we would have no basis for the evalu-
ation of sexual behavior as morally good or bad. The current push to
approve homosexual partnerships illustrates this point. It is only in the
light of Creation that marriage is properly understood.
“In both the Old and the New Testament, the marriage relation is
employed to represent the tender and sacred union that exists between
Christ and His people. To the mind of Jesus the gladness of the wed-
ding festivities pointed forward to the rejoicing of that day when He
shall bring home His bride to the Father’s house, and the redeemed
with the Redeemer shall sit down to the marriage supper of the
Lamb.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 151.
Discussion Questions:
l Darwinism denies anything like the biblical Creation. What
rules for sexual behavior, if any, does Darwinism provide, and
how do they contrast with the biblical ideal?
l What are some biblical examples of good marriages and
happy homes? Name some biblical examples of unhappy mar-
riages and homes. What can we learn from both?
l Review the description of the virtuous wife in Proverbs
31:10–31. What should be the character of the husband of such
a wife?
l In what ways can your local church be a place that can help
to affirm and strengthen the ideals of marriage? What practical
things can your church do in order to accomplish that goal?
1
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79
Small Projects Make Big
Impact
Part of our mission offerings are set aside to fund specific small outreach
projects around the world. These are separate from the larger Thirteenth
Sabbath Offering funds. Two recipients report on how they used these
special project funds to reach out to their communities.
Egypt has fewer than 750 Seventh-day Adventists among a population of
more than 80 million people. The vast majority of Egyptians are Muslims.
During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, observant Muslims fast dur-
ing the day and break their fast with an evening meal after sunset. In a
gesture of goodwill, the Seventh-day Adventist Church hosted an evening
meal during Ramadan for members of the Muslim community. They
invited a number of Seventh-day Adventists and prominent Christians to
mingle with their Muslim guests.
More than twenty non-Adventists attended the meal, including govern-
ment assistant ministers, a general, a police colonel, representatives from
two political parties, leaders of an Egyptian human rights organization,
and journalists. After the meal the guests expressed appreciation and good
will toward the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Some indicated that they
had been unaware of Seventh-day Adventists before the occasion.
Egypt Field President Llewellyn Edwards spoke to the guests, express-
ing how living among Muslims had changed his understanding of
Muslims from one of fear created by Western media to one of friendship
and hospitality. “Muslims are people to be loved,” he said.
The small projects mission offering helped to build a bridge of under-
standing between Christians and Muslims in an important political center
of the Muslim world.
Halfway around the world lies the tiny South Pacific island nation of
New Caledonia. The easternmost island is Mare, only about 20 miles (30
kilometers) from shore to shore. It lies almost 1,000 miles (1,600 kilome-
ters) east of Australia and is home to about 6,000 people.
In July of 2011 Pastor Jean-Noel Adeline led in a series of evangelistic
meetings sponsored in part by the small outreach project funds. As many
as 200 people from across the island attended the evangelistic meetings.
Following the meetings a small group numbering ten people began meet-
ing on Sabbaths and preparing for baptism.
The islanders and the New Caledonia Mission are moving forward to
build a place of worship so that these tender new seeds of faith can grow
strong and root deeply in one of the farthest corners of the world.
The new believers on the island of Mare in New Caledonia thank you
for sharing your mission offerings and helping them to discover God’s
plan for their lives.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
80
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10
*March 2–8
Stewardship and the
Environment
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Psalm 8; Gen. 2:15; Rev.
4:11; Exod. 20:8–11; 1 Cor. 16:19, 20.
Memory Text:
“Then God blessed them, and God said to them,
‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have domin-
ion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every
living thing that moves on the earth’ ” (Genesis 1:28, NKJV).
T
he world in which we live is a gift of love from the Creator
God, from ‘Him who made heaven and the earth, the sea and
the springs of water’ (Rev. 14:7, NKJV). Within this creation
He placed humans, set intentionally in relationship with Himself,
other persons, and the surrounding world. Therefore, as Seventh-day
Adventists, we hold its preservation and nurture to be intimately
related to our service to Him. . . .
“Since human poverty and environmental degradation are interre-
lated, we pledge ourselves to improve the quality of life for all people.
Our goal is a sustainable development of resources while meeting
human needs. . . .
“In this commitment we confirm our stewardship of God’s creation
and believe that total restoration will be complete only when God
makes all things new.”—Excerpted from “Caring for Creation—A
Statement on the Environment by the General Conference of Seventh-
day Adventists.”
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 9.
81
Sunday
March 3
Dominion Given at Creation
According to Genesis 1:26, Adam’s dominion extended to all other
created entities—in the sea, on land, and in the air. Dominion includes
the idea of ruling or having power over these creatures. Nothing is
said about dominion over the forces of nature themselves, only over
the creatures. And, according to the text, this rule was universal:
Adam was to be, essentially, the ruler of the earth.
Read
again Psalm 8. What is David’s response to the honor that
God gave to humans? What does it mean that we have been given
“honor and glory,” especially in the context of humans having
been given dominion over the earth?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
According to Genesis 2:19, one of Adam’s earliest tasks was to
name the animals. Names had great meaning in biblical times. One’s
name represented one’s person and, often, one’s status. The authority
to give names to the birds and beasts was confirmation of Adam’s
status as ruler over the animals.
Read
Genesis 2:15. In what ways do you see the principle of steward-
ship revealed here?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Adam was assigned the task of caring for the Garden, to manage it
and tend to its needs. The Hebrew root, smr, translated here as “keep”
it, often means “to watch over” or “to protect.” The Garden was a
gift to Adam, an expression of God’s love, and Adam was now given
responsibility over it, another example of the dominion that Adam
received at the time of Creation.
How should our understanding of God as the Creator, or even,
more specifically, our understanding of the Creation story
itself, impact the ways in which we treat the environment? Why
should our understanding of these things protect us from either
gross indifference toward the environment or, in contrast, a
fanatical devotion to it?
______________________________________________________
82
Monday
March 4
Caring for Other Creatures
“For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a
thousand hills” (Ps. 50:10). What in this text touches on the topic
of our stewardship of the earth?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Read
Revelation 4:11. How does this text contrast radically with the
common atheistic notions of a creation without a creator, a cre-
ation that comes into being purely by chance alone?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Creation of the animals was not an accident or an afterthought. God
intentionally created them. It was His will that they should exist, and
it is this principle that should guide our treatment of them (see also
Exod. 23:5, 12; Prov. 12:10; Luke 14:5).
Indeed, cruelty toward animals and indifference toward their suf-
fering are widely recognized as symptomatic of personality disorders.
Many organizations have been established to promote good treatment
of animals, and rightly so.
However, at the same time, some people have gone so far as to
claim that humans are not intrinsically more important than animals,
and so humans should not be given preferential treatment. In many
ways, this is a train of thought that flows logically from an evolution-
ary model of human origins. After all, if we and the animals are sepa-
rated only by time and chance, why should we be any more special
than they are? One philosopher has even argued that a chicken, or
even a fish, has more “personhood” than does a fetus in the womb or
even a newborn infant. However ridiculous these ideas might sound,
they can be derived with a fair amount of logic from an atheistic evo-
lutionary model of human origins.
Of course, such ideas are not supported in Scripture. Humans have
special status in God’s plan, in contrast to the animals. (See Gen. 3:21,
Exod. 29:38, Lev. 11:3.)
Put yourself in the mind of an atheist evolutionist and work
through the reasons for why you think that animals should be
treated no differently from humans. What should this tell you
about how important our presuppositions are in determining
the outcome of our thought?
83
Tuesday
March 5
The Sabbath and the Environment
As we have seen, the concept of stewardship, in the context of
the way in which we take care of the planet, is tied directly to the
creation. Our views on Creation will influence our views on the way
in which we should relate to the creation.
For some, the creation is to be exploited, used, even pillaged to
whatever degree necessary in order to fulfill our own desires and
wants. Others, in contrast, all but worship the creation itself (see
Rom. 1:25). Then there is the biblical view, which should give us a
balanced perspective on the way in which we relate to the world that
the Lord created for us.
Read
Exodus 20:8–11. What do we find in this commandment that
relates to stewardship?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
“God set aside the seventh-day Sabbath as a memorial and per-
petual reminder of His creative act and establishment of the world.
In resting on that day, Seventh-day Adventists reinforce the special
sense of relationship with the Creator and His creation. Sabbath
observance underscores the importance of our integration with
the total environment.”—Excerpted from “Caring for Creation—A
Statement on the Environment.”
By pointing us to the fact that God created us and the world that
we inhabit, the Sabbath is a constant reminder that we are not wholly
autonomous creatures, able to do whatever we wish to others and to
the world itself. Sabbath should teach us that we are, indeed, stewards,
and that stewardship entails responsibilities. And, as we can see in
the commandment itself, responsibility extends to how we treat those
who are “under” us.
Think about how you treat other people, particularly those who
are under your dominion. Are you treating them with respect,
fairness, and grace? Or are you taking advantage of the power
that you have over them? If the latter, remember, you will one
day have to answer for your actions.
______________________________________________________
84
Wednesday
March 6
Stewards of Our Health
As we have seen throughout this quarter, God’s original creation
was “good,” even “very good.” Everything and everyone came forth
from the hand of the Creator in a state of perfection. There was no
sickness, no disease, no death. Contrary to the evolutionary model—
in which disease, sickness, and death are part of the very means of
creation—these things came only after the Fall, after the entrance
of sin. Thus, it is only against the background of the Creation story
that we can understand better the biblical teaching about health and
healing.
Read
1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. What is our responsibility to God regard-
ing the care of our bodies?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Our bodies are the vehicles for our brains, and it is through our
brain that the Holy Spirit communicates with us. If we wish to have
communion with God, we must take care of our bodies and brains. If
we abuse our bodies, we destroy ourselves, both physically and spiri-
tually. According to these texts, the whole question of health itself,
and how we take care of our bodies, the “temple of God,” is a moral
issue, one filled with eternal consequences.
Care of our health is a vital part of our relationship to God.
Obviously, some aspects of our health are beyond our power. We all
have defective genes, we all are exposed to unknown chemicals or
other damaging agents, and we are all at risk of physical injury that
may damage our health. God knows all this. But to the extent that lies
within our power, we are to do our best to maintain our bodies, made
in the image of God.
“Let none who profess godliness regard with indifference the health
of the body, and flatter themselves that intemperance is no sin, and
will not affect their spirituality. A close sympathy exists between
the physical and the moral nature. The standard of virtue is elevated
or degraded by the physical habits. . . . Any habit which does not
promote healthful action in the human system degrades the higher
and nobler faculties.”—Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, Jan. 25,
1881.
85
Thursday
March 7
Stewardship Principles
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from
the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shift-
ing shadows” (James 1:17, NIV). How does this text help to set the
foundation for a biblically based concept of stewardship?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
We often tend to think of stewardship in terms of money. As we’ve
seen this week, however, stewardship involves much more than
just that. Yet, whether dealing with money or with environmental
concerns or our own health, there are certain principles involved
in good stewardship, principles that have their ultimate foundation
in the Creation, as depicted in Genesis. In the end, because God is
our Creator, and because everything we have is a gift from Him, we
are obligated before Him to be good stewards of whatever has been
entrusted to us.
Read
Matthew 25:14–30 to see how this parable illustrates the
rewards of good stewardship. What is the message of this parable
regarding the principles of stewardship in general?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
“To His servants Christ commits ‘His goods’—something to be put
to use for Him. He gives ‘to every man his work.’ Each has his place
in the eternal plan of heaven. Each is to work in co-operation with
Christ for the salvation of souls. Not more surely is the place prepared
for us in the heavenly mansions than is the special place designated
on earth where we are to work for God.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s
Object Lessons, pp. 326, 327.
What are you doing with the talents with which you have
been entrusted (remember—everything good comes from “the
Father of the heavenly lights”)? What choices can you make
that will enable you to use these gifts in better service for the
Lord’s work?
86
friday
March 8
Further Study:
“Christ’s followers have been redeemed for service.
Our Lord teaches that the true object of life is ministry. Christ Himself
was a worker, and to all His followers He gives the law of service
—service to God and to their fellow men. Here Christ has presented
to the world a higher conception of life than they had ever known.
By living to minister for others, man is brought into connection with
Christ. The law of service becomes the connecting link which binds
us to God and to our fellow men.”—Ellen G, White, Christ’s Object
Lessons, p. 326.
Discussion Questions:
l Some secularists have proposed that the value of life should
not be measured by whether the life is human but by its potential
to live a pleasant life. They might value a young, healthy chim-
panzee more than they do an old, diseased human.
For instance, read the following quote from Australian Peter
Singer, who argues that, in certain cases, humans shouldn’t have
any more rights than some animals do: “Far from having con-
cern for all life, or a scale of concern impartially based on the
nature of the life in question, those who protest against abortion
but dine regularly on the bodies of chickens, pigs and calves show
only a biased concern for the lives of members of our species. For
on any fair comparison of morally relevant characteristics, like
rationality, self-consciousness, awareness, autonomy, pleasure,
pain, and so on, the calf, the pig, and the much-derided chicken
come out well ahead of the fetus at any stage of pregnancy—
while if we make the comparison with a fetus of less than three
months old, a fish would show more signs of consciousness.”
—Peter Singer, Writings on an Ethical Life (New York: The Ecco
Press, 2000), p. 156.
Singer, of course, is an evolutionist; thus, he believes that
there’s really no overt qualitative difference between us and the
animals. We just have evolved into something different from
what they did, that’s all.
What is radically wrong with this picture? How should we as
Christians respond to this kind of thinking?
l If you can find it, bring to class the entire text of “Caring
for Creation—A Statement on the Environment.” (This state-
ment can be found at adventist.org/beliefs/statements/main-stat5
.html.) Otherwise, use the sections quoted in this week’s Sabbath
study. Focus on how it ties in the Genesis Creation to the envi-
ronment. Dwell more on how a proper view of Creation can
protect us from taking an extreme position.
1
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87
A Heart Full of Thanks
Ujjal is a young man, but a hole in his heart had left him chroni-
cally tired and subject to fainting spells. He couldn’t work or even
ride his bicycle.
One day Ujjal’s friend Panalal told him that he was learning
about Jesus, the powerful and loving God whom Christians worship.
Panalal invited Ujjal to a meeting in his home. Ujjal went, hoping
that the God of the Christians would heal him. He listened intently as
Gopal, the Global Mission pioneer, explained that God forgives our
sins if we believe and ask Him.
When Gopal finished his talk, he invited those with special prayer
requests to stand. Ujjal stood. Gopal asked what his prayer request
was, and Ujjal described his heart problem. Ujjal bowed his head
while Gopal prayed. Immediately Ujjal felt an energy surge through
him. He told Gopal that he believed he had been healed and that he
wanted to become a Christian.
Gopal came to Ujjal’s home to study the Bible. Soon Ujjal, his par-
ents, and his two younger brothers accepted Jesus as their Savior.
The family attended a Seventh-day Adventist church in town, but
Ujjal wanted to share his faith with others living in a nearby village.
With his heart trouble gone, Ujjal rode his bicycle to the village and
began sharing the gospel. He met a man with chronic stomach trouble
and told him, “I know who can heal you without medicine.” He told
the man about Jesus and offered to pray for him. Ujjal took his pastor
and Gopal to pray for the man, as well; soon this man and his family
accepted Jesus as their Savior and asked to be baptized.
Ujjal asked the family to open their home to hold prayer meetings.
The other villagers had been watching the family and had seen the
changes in their lives. One by one the man and his family invited their
neighbors to let Ujjal visit them and pray for them. As the people
learned about Jesus, they began taking Bible studies and preparing
for baptism.
Ujjal became a lay evangelist, and so far has led more than fifty
people in this village to Christ. He also has begun working in another
village where more people are learning about the loving and all-
powerful God and accepting Jesus as their Lord.
Our mission offerings help to support the work of Global Mission
workers such as Gopal and Ujjal in Southern Asia and around the
world.
Gopal and Ujjal and hundreds more like them work as Global Mission pioneers and lay
evangelists in the Calcutta region of India.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
88
L e s s o n
11
*March 9–15
Sabbath: A Gift From
Eden
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Gen. 2:1–3; Heb. 4:3, 4;
Deut. 5:12–15; Ezek. 20:12; Mark 2:27, 28; 2 Pet. 3:3–7.
Memory Text:
“For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath
day” (Matthew 12:8).
A
t the end of the sixth day, the Creation had been completed
(Gen. 2:1, 2). The world had been formed into a habitable
place, and it had been filled with living creatures. Adam and
Eve had been created in God’s own image and had been given a
beautiful, well-provisioned Garden in which to live. They had formed
the first marriage and established the first home. God was satisfied
with what He had made. Something else, however, was added to this
paradise: the seventh-day Sabbath (see Gen. 2:1–3).
Genesis 2 disproves the common notion that the seventh day is the
“Jewish Sabbath.” Why? Because God “blessed the seventh day and
sanctified it” back in Eden, before the Fall and certainly before any
Jews existed.
In addition, the Sabbath is a memorial to the creation of all human-
ity (not just the Jews); all humanity should enjoy the blessings of the
Sabbath day.
This week we will explore the biblical teaching on this, another gift
from Eden.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 16.
89
Sunday
March 10
Creation and the Seventh-Day
Sabbath
In Exodus 20:8–11, the fourth commandment refers directly to the
Creation week. This is important because it points back to Eden itself, to
a world without sin, a perfect world coming fresh from the Creator. “The
Sabbath is not introduced as a new institution but as having been founded
at creation. It is to be remembered and observed as the memorial of the
Creator’s work.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 307.
Read
Genesis 2:1–3. How is the seventh-day Sabbath tied directly to
the Creation itself? How do these verses help to reinforce the idea
that God did, indeed, create our world in six days, as opposed to
the long ages postulated by theistic evolution?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
In those three verses, it’s worth noting that reference is made to the
seventh day five times: in three of these five it is specifically called
“the seventh day,” and twice the day is referred to with the pronoun
“it.” In these verses, we are left with no ambiguity about either the
day or what it is specifically referring to, and that is the six days of
Creation that preceded the seventh.
Read
Hebrews 4:3, 4. In his discussion of rest, the author of Hebrews
is pointing to what event?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
This is a clear New Testament reference to the Genesis Creation
account, and it provides additional evidence for the historical truth of
Creation in six days, followed by a day of rest.
Many today resist the idea that Creation took place in six days.
They demand scientific evidence that the record is true. But science
itself comes with many contingencies, uncertainties, and presupposi-
tions. Plus, how could a literal six-day Creation be proved, anyway?
God “has not removed the possibility of doubt; faith must rest
upon evidence, not demonstration; those who wish to doubt have
opportunity; but those who desire to know the truth find ample
ground for faith.”—Ellen G. White, Education, p. 169. What
are the reasons you have for faith? Why do they trump all the
reasons to doubt?
90
Monday
March 11
The Rich Meaning of Sabbath Rest
Read
Deuteronomy 5:12–15. How does the emphasis of the Sabbath
commandment here differ from Exodus 20:8–11?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Here Moses reminds the Israelites that they should keep the Sabbath,
and he states that they should do this because God delivered them from
Egypt. The texts say nothing about the six days of Creation or about the
Sabbath being God’s rest. Instead, the emphasis here is on salvation, on
deliverance, on redemption—in this case the redemption from Egypt, a
symbol of the true Redemption we have in Jesus (see 1 Cor. 10:1–3).
In other words, there is no conflict between the texts, no justifica-
tion for trying to use one passage to deny the truth of the other. Moses
was showing the people that they belong to the Lord, first by Creation
and then by redemption.
Read
Ezekiel 20:12 and Exodus 31:13. What is another reason for
observing the Sabbath?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The passages that mention sanctification remind us that only God
can make us holy. Only the Creator can create a new heart within us.
Consider, then, three reasons given for Sabbath observance and
how they are related. We observe the Sabbath on the seventh day in
recognition of the fact that God created in six days and rested on the
seventh. We also observe the Sabbath on the seventh day because God
is the one who redeemed us, saved us in Christ. And also He is the
One who sanctifies us, which comes only from the creative power of
God, as well (see Ps. 51:10, 2 Cor. 5:17).
Theories, therefore, that deny the six-day Creation tend to diminish
God’s grace and magnify the value of our own efforts to be good enough
in order to be saved. The Creation story reminds us of our total depen-
dence on grace and the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ in our place.
Dwell on the fact that we are as dependent upon God for
Redemption as we are for existence (after all, how much say
did you have in your own birth?). How can the Sabbath help
us to better understand our absolute need of God’s grace for
everything in our lives? How should this knowledge influence
the way in which we live?
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Tuesday
March 12
Jesus and the Sabbath
Read
Mark 2:27, 28. What crucial truth about the Sabbath does
Jesus reveal here? How can we take this principle and apply it to
our own Sabbath experience?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Jesus and His disciples had just walked through a field of grain,
and the disciples, hungry, had picked some of the grain and eaten it.
The act of picking grain while one was passing through a field was
not a problem, as the rules of the society permitted this. Food is a
necessity, and it was perfectly acceptable for the disciples to relieve
their hunger by eating what they found as they walked along. The
problem was that religious leaders regarded their own made-up rules
for Sabbath observance as being more important than human need.
This was a continuing point of controversy between Christ and the
Pharisees. Jesus’ response indicated that their priorities were wrong.
The Sabbath should be a day for human blessing, not used as an
excuse for prolonging suffering.
What
other activity did Jesus do on the Sabbath, despite the contro-
versy that it engendered? See Matt. 12:9–13, Luke 13:10–17, John
5:1–17.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Nowhere in all the Sabbath controversies recorded in the Gospels
does the question of the validity of the Sabbath ever arise. The issue,
instead, was how the seventh day should be kept, not whether it was
to be abolished or superseded by something else.
Jesus’ example shows not only that the Sabbath remains something
that should be observed but also how the Sabbath should be kept.
And one thing we can clearly see from His example is that work done
on the Sabbath to help relieve human suffering does not violate the
Sabbath. On the contrary, if anything, His example shows that doing
good for others is exactly how the Sabbath should be kept.
In what ways could your Sabbath keeping better reflect the
principles seen in Jesus’ example to us?
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Wednesday
March 13
Sabbath and the Last Days
Read
2 Peter 3:3–7. Compare the description of the last-day scoffers
with our contemporary society. What do the scoffers deny, and
why?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The scoffers claim that nature has continued on without interrup-
tion, a claim known among scientists as “uniformitarianism.” This is
equivalent to denying that miracles occur. This claim is then used to
deny that the Lord is going to come as He promised.
Notice, though, how Peter links their denial of the second coming
of Christ with their denial of the Creation account (plus the Flood, as
well). Denial of one leads to denial of the others!
Read
Revelation 14:6, 7. Amid the doubts and caviling of the scoff-
ers, what message will be proclaimed with heavenly power?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The scoffers are wrong. Judgment is coming, and we are called
to worship the One who “created the heavens and the earth, the
seas” and everything else. This is Creation language. The text
alludes to Exodus 20:11 and points out the significance of Creation
and Sabbath in the end times. As the Sabbath symbolizes the
biblical story of Creation and Redemption, so rejection of the
Creation story leads to rejection of the seventh-day Sabbath and
to the establishment of a man-made substitute. The result, indi-
cated in Revelation 14:8–10, is spiritual fornication and separation
from God.
God is calling people to worship Him as the Creator, and nowhere
in the Bible do we find anything that points so fully to Him as the
Creator as does the seventh-day Sabbath. It is no wonder, then, that
we see the Sabbath, the original sign of God as Creator, as being piv-
otal in the last days.
Think it through: how does a rejection of a literal six-day
Creation weaken the importance of the seventh-day Sabbath?
And if our understanding of the seventh-day Sabbath is weak-
ened, why adhere to it when persecution comes?
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Thursday
March 14
A Psalm for the Sabbath
Read
Psalm 92. What does this tell us, at least in part, about what the
experience of Sabbath keeping should be like? Why, when think-
ing about the Lord, should we express the kind of joy expressed
in this psalm?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The psalmist obviously knew the Lord, knew what the Lord was
like, knew what the Lord had done, and knew what the Lord was
going to do one day. And it is for these reasons that he expresses the
joy that he does.
Look, too, at the rich themes expressed in this, a “psalm for the
Sabbath day.”
First and foremost, there is praise and thankfulness to God for His
loving-kindness and faithfulness. Plus, any “psalm for the Sabbath”
would, of course, include acknowledgment of God as Creator, which
we see here, as well.
Also, look at the theme of judgment here. In the Bible, God’s
judgment is not just against the wicked but also in favor of the
righteous (see Dan. 7:20–28). These two aspects of judgment are
revealed here in the psalm, as well. Even if we don’t see these
promises fulfilled now, we have the promise that this judgment
ultimately will come at the end of time, when God creates all things
new (Rev. 21:5).
If we get nothing else out of this psalm, we should see that the
Sabbath, however sacred, is a time to delight in the Lord, to rejoice
in Him and in all that He has done for us and has promised to
do. The whole tone of the psalm is that of praise, joy, and happi-
ness, not because of anything that the psalmist had done but only
because of all that the Lord had done and promised to do.
What a gift to be given: one-seventh of our lives set apart every
week to rest and to be able—free from the busyness and stress of
mundane existence—to rejoice in the works of the Lord for us.
How can you learn to rejoice in the Sabbath as does the psalm-
ist here in this psalm? If you are not having that experience,
why not?
______________________________________________________
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friday
March 15
Further Study:
“God created man in His own image. Here is no mys-
tery. There is no ground for the supposition that man was evolved by
slow degrees of development from the lower forms of animal or veg-
etable life. Such teaching lowers the great work of the Creator to the
level of man’s narrow, earthly conceptions. Men are so intent upon
excluding God from the sovereignty of the universe that they degrade
man and defraud him of the dignity of his origin. He who set the starry
worlds on high and tinted with delicate skill the flowers of the field,
who filled the earth and the heavens with the wonders of His power,
when He came to crown His glorious work, to place one in the midst
to stand as ruler of the fair earth, did not fail to create a being worthy
of the hand that gave him life. The genealogy of our race, as given by
inspiration, traces back its origin, not to a line of developing germs,
mollusks, and quadrupeds, but to the great Creator.”—Ellen G. White,
Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 45.
Discussion Questions:
l Why is the relationship between Sabbath and Creation so
significant in these last days? How is this truth expressed in
Revelation 14:6, 7? Look again at the question at the end of
Wednesday’s lesson as you discuss the above question.
l At about the same time that Charles Darwin started promot-
ing his theory of evolution, God raised up a church that upheld
the seventh-day Sabbath as a distinctive belief. More so, God
raised up that church to proclaim the three angels’ messages of
Revelation 14, which calls upon us specifically to worship the
One who created the heavens and the earth. What could be more
tragic, or a deeper fall from faith, than for those professing to be
members of that church to argue in favor of evolution?
l In recent years, science has revealed a complexity in life that
boggles the mind. Charles Darwin had no clue whatsoever about
just how complicated even the so-called “simple” cell really is.
We know now that even the most “simple” cell is more compli-
cated and more intricate than Darwin probably ever imagined.
Look at the irony here: many scientists believe that life arose
by chance alone. Yet, the more complexity that science finds in
life, the less likely it becomes that chance could have done it.
That is, the more that science reveals about the complexity of
life, the less likely science’s grand theory about the origin of life,
atheistic evolution, becomes. Discuss.
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Embracing the World’s Cities:
Part 2
As we look at the mission field, we must look through the compassion-
ate eyes of Jesus. We’re not looking at a target group or mere statistics;
we’re looking at real people. They may have given up on church and
religion, but they’re open to those who follow Christ and show the love
and sympathy of their Master.
And if we’re going to minister to needs, we need to know what those
needs are. We need to study our communities. What are people reading,
what are they watching, what are they listening to? How do they spend
their spare time? What’s causing them pain? What’s bringing them joy?
A few years ago, Wayne Krause, the pastor of a church near Sydney,
Australia, discovered that some students were arriving at the local pub-
lic school each day without breakfast. He presented the challenge to
his church, and soon the church members were providing food to these
hungry children. Later, when the school decided to hire a chaplain, they
turned to the Seventh-day Adventist church. Today, Rochelle Madden
serves as the school’s chaplain.
“I see my role as chaplain to be a window to Jesus,” says Rochelle. “I
want the students, parents, and teachers to see a Christian as someone who
really cares about them and about what’s going on in their lives.”
Seventh-day Adventists should make cities better places. Are people
hungry? Let’s feed them. Are immigrants struggling to adapt? Let’s help
them. Does a city park need a cleanup? Let’s roll up our sleeves.
In the book of Jeremiah, God instructed the Jewish exiles how to live
when they got to Babylon: “But seek the welfare [shalom] of the city where
I have sent you into exile, and pray to the lord on its behalf, for its welfare
[shalom] and you will find your welfare [shalom]” (Jer. 29:7, ESV).
The Hebrew word shalom conveys thoughts of peace, well-being, and
prosperity. God is urging the exiles to work and pray for the good of the
city. We must do the same today.
Jesus modeled a wholistic ministry that balanced the spiritual and the
physical: “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing
every disease and sickness” (Matt. 9:36, NIV). We should use Christ’s
ministry as our example and care for physical as well as spiritual needs.
Adapted from Adventist World; used with permission. Gary Krause is director of Adventist
Mission at the General Conference. The first part of this article appeared in the fourth
quarter 2011, “Inside Stories.”
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
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*March 16–22
Creation and the Gospel
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Gen. 3:21; Ps. 104:29,
30; John 1:4; Rom. 5:6–11; Gal. 3:13; Matt. 27:46.
Memory Text:
“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be
made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22, NIV).
I
n the biblical account, Adam and Eve were created in God’s image
without any moral defect. But they did have free will, a prereq-
uisite for them to be able to love. When Adam and Eve rebelled
against God, they fell under Satan’s power (see Heb. 2:14), an act that
brought the whole world under the enemy’s power, as well. Jesus,
though, came to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8) and free
us from his power. He did this by dying in our place and offering us
life. On the cross, Jesus became sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21) and experi-
enced the separation from His Father that sin causes. By His death,
Jesus restored the relationship between God and humanity that had
been broken by the sin of Adam and Eve.
All these points are logically linked to the Creation story. Creation
comes into the picture again as the power of the Creator God is exer-
cised to create a new heart in His children (2 Cor. 5:17), renewing
the image of God within us and restoring our relationship with Him.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 23.
97
Sunday
March 17
Grace in the Garden
As we all know so well, the first humans, perfect beings created
in the “image of God,” fell into sin, which brought death. They had
been warned, and they understood what they had been told. Eve even
repeated to the serpent what God had said. Yet, they sinned anyway.
At times we, like Eve, are led into sin by deceit; while, at other times,
like Adam, we sin intentionally. Either way, we are sinners, guilty of
transgressing God’s law.
Read
Genesis 3:9–15. What was God’s response to the sin of Adam
and Eve?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
God held a trial, an “investigative judgment” even. The purpose of
the trial was not so that God could learn the facts. He already knew
them. The purpose was, instead, to give the couple an opportunity
to accept responsibility for their actions, the first step toward repen-
tance and restoration. God asked them what had happened, and they
confessed, although reluctantly. Though they were guilty and though
their sin brought immediate consequences—the first gospel promise
was given (see lesson 6) to them in Eden.
Read
Genesis 3:21. What further act of grace was revealed?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Death came in a most unexpected way. Instead of the immediate
death of Adam and Eve, one or more animals died. Imagine Adam’s
feelings as the animal died, perhaps in his place as a sacrifice. It was
the first time that Adam had seen death, and it must have brought
him enormous mental pain. Then the animal was skinned, and a tunic
was fashioned from the skin. The skin was placed over Adam’s body
to cover his nakedness. Every time he looked at it, or felt it, he was
surely reminded of what he had done and what he had lost. More
important, it was a reminder of God’s grace.
No doubt we all should be very appreciative (to say the least) of
God’s grace to us. What better way to reveal that appreciation
than to show grace to others. To whom could you show some
grace right now however undeserving he or she may be?
98
Monday
March 18
Sin and Death
In Genesis 3:19, Adam was told that at death he would return to
the dust from which he was made. The same thing happens to us.
Notice—we do not return to being apes, because we were not made
from apes. We were made from dust, and it’s to dust, at death, that
we return.
Read
Genesis 2:7; Psalm 104:29, 30; John 1:4; Acts 17:24, 25. What
is the ultimate significance of these texts for us? How should this
truth influence the way in which we live?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Life is a marvelous phenomenon. We are all familiar with life, but
there is still something mysterious about it. We can take apart a living
organism, but in the end we find nothing there except various kinds
of atoms and molecules. We can collect the molecules in a container
and heat it or pass an electric spark through it or try any number of
other experiments, but we do not get life again. There is no entity
called “life” that exists within a living body or a living cell. Life is a
property of the entire living system, not an entity that can be separated
from the cells.
On the other hand, we know much about how to produce death.
We have devised many ways of killing living things. Some of these
methods reveal in astonishing detail the violence and cruelty of
our sinful hearts. Death we can produce, but the creation of life is
beyond our grasp. God alone has the ability to create living organ-
isms. Scientists have tried to create life, thinking that if they could
do so they would have an excuse for why they do not believe in God.
So far, all such efforts have failed.
Read
Isaiah 59:2. How does sin affect our relationship to the Life-
Giver?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
If life comes only from God, then separation from God cuts us off
from the Source of life. The inevitable result of separation from God
is death. Even if one lives 969 years, as did Methuselah, the story still
ends with “and he died.” Sin, by its very nature, causes separation
from life, and the result is death.
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Tuesday
March 19
While We Were Yet Sinners . . .
All throughout the Bible we find that God’s response to human
sinfulness is redemptive in nature and motivated by genuine, unselfish
love. He would have been fully justified in giving Adam and Eve up
to Satan’s destructive power; after all, they had made their choice. But
God knew that Adam and Eve did not understand the full meaning of
what they had done, and He determined to give them an opportunity
to become better informed and to be able to choose again.
Read
Romans 5:6–11. How do these verses help us to understand
what God’s grace is all about?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
When we are wronged, we like to have an apology before we accept
the offender back into a good relationship with us. Of course, an apol-
ogy is appropriate in such circumstances. Complete healing of a dam-
aged relationship includes an expression of sorrow and acceptance
of responsibility for the misdeed. But God did not wait for us to ask
for forgiveness; He took the initiative. While we were yet sinners, He
gave Himself to die on our behalf. This is a wonderful demonstration
of divine love.
How does our behavior compare with God’s behavior? How often are
we offended and angry and seek revenge rather than restoration? We
should be eternally thankful that God does not treat us in that way.
God’s treatment of sinners shows the true meaning of love. It is not
a mere feeling but a principled behavior in which every effort is made
to reconcile the offender to the offended and restore the relationship.
God’s treatment of Adam and Eve is an illustration of how He relates
to our sin.
“The scenes of Calvary call for the deepest emotion. Upon this
subject you will be excusable if you manifest enthusiasm. That
Christ, so excellent, so innocent, should suffer such a painful
death, bearing the weight of the sins of the world, our thoughts
and imaginations can never fully comprehend. The length, the
breadth, the height, the depth, of such amazing love we cannot
fathom.”—Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2,
p. 213. Maybe we can’t fathom this love, but why is it so impor-
tant that we try?
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Wednesday
March 20
The Sin-bearing Substitute
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having
become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who
hangs on a tree’)” (Gal. 3:13, NKJV). Dwell on the amazing impli-
cations of this text, keeping in mind the deity of Christ as you do.
What does this tell us about what God was willing to do in order
to save us? More so, what does this tell us about how tragic it is
for anyone not to accept the provision that Christ made in our
behalf?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
In taking the guilt of our sins upon Himself and dying in separation
from God, Jesus fulfilled the promise originally made in the Garden
of Eden that the Seed of the woman would bruise the serpent’s head.
His sacrifice made possible the reconciliation of God and the human
family and will eventually result in the final elimination of evil from
the universe (Heb. 2:14, Rev. 20:14).
Keeping
Galatians 3:13 in mind, read Matthew 27:46. What do
Jesus’ words reveal about what He went through on the cross?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
On the cross, Christ accepted the curse of sin in our behalf. This
was a change in His standing with the Father. The sacrificial lamb,
when brought to the altar, became a substitute for the death of the
sinner. Likewise, when Christ went to the cross, His status before
the Father changed. Shut out from the Father’s presence, He felt
the curse that our sin had caused. In other words, Jesus, who had
been One with the Father from eternity, experienced a separation
from the Father, in what Ellen G. White called “the sundering of the
divine powers” (Ellen G. White, Manuscript 93, 1899). However
hard it is to fully comprehend exactly what was happening, we can
know enough to realize that an amazing price was paid in order to
redeem us.
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Thursday
March 21
A New Creation
The great news of the gospel centers around the death of Jesus as
our substitute. He took our sins upon Himself, bearing in Himself the
penalty that would, otherwise, justly be ours. As we have seen, too,
the whole idea of Christ as our Substitute, dying for the sins of the
world, is inextricably linked to the Creation story. Death is an alien
intruder in God’s creation, and Christ came to destroy it. If evolution-
ary theory were the chosen way that God used to create humans, it
would mean, then, that death, far from being an aberration and an
enemy, would instead be part of God’s original plan for humanity.
Indeed, death would play an important role in the way in which God
created us. It’s no wonder, then, that Christians must reject theistic
evolution as a viable way of understanding the Creation story.
The Genesis Creation account, however crucial in helping us to
understand Christ’s death in our behalf, also helps us to understand
another aspect of the plan of salvation, that of God’s work of creation
in us, as we partake of His holiness now.
Read
Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26, 27; Colossians 3:10; and 2 Corin-
thians 5:17. What promises are given to us here that are linked
with the concept of God as Creator, as revealed in Genesis 1 and
2?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
A new heart is a creation that only God can do. We cannot do it
ourselves but must depend on the same Creator who formed the world
and created our first parents. David recognized his need and asked
God to solve the problem by an act of creation.
Indeed, the person who is “in Christ” is a new creation. The old way
of thinking must be taken away and replaced with a newly created
mind. Our new mind is created for good works, in accordance with
God’s will. This kind of creation is a supernatural process, accom-
plished through the power of the Holy Spirit. The original Creation
gives us confidence that God’s creative power is able to change our
lives and to bring us back into relationship with Him.
How have you experienced what it means to be a new creation
in Christ? What does this mean in a daily, practical sense?
What is it that changes in the life of someone who has had this
experience?
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friday
March 22
Further Study:
“ ‘The secret things belong unto the Lord our God;
but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our chil-
dren forever.’ [Deuteronomy 29:29.] Just how God accomplished the
work of creation he has never revealed to men; human science can-
not search out the secrets of the Most High. His creative power is as
incomprehensible as his existence.”—Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and
Prophets, p. 113.
“In that thick darkness God’s presence was hidden. He makes
darkness His pavilion, and conceals His glory from human eyes. God
and His holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with His
Son. Yet His presence was not revealed. Had His glory flashed forth
from the cloud, every human beholder would have been destroyed.
And in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the
Father’s presence. He trod the wine press alone, and of the people
there was none with Him.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages,
pp. 753, 754.
Discussion Questions:
l How is the gospel related to the story of Creation? What spe-
cific aspects of Genesis 1–3 are foundational to the gospel? How
is the story of Jesus based on the historical veracity of Genesis?
How would one tell the story of Jesus if there were no Adam and
Eve?
l The Bible maintains that the Creation was accomplished by
supernatural processes that are not accessible to science but
that can be learned only by special revelation. Tension between
the Bible and science is, therefore, not a surprise. Why is it a
mistake, then, to expect science to be able to explain all of God’s
creative works?
l What links exist between the gospel, Creation, and judgment
as indicated in Revelation 14:6, 7?
l Critics of Christianity will often argue that Jesus knew
beforehand that, though He would die, He would be resurrected
to life. Thus, they ask, what was the big deal about His death
when He knew it would be only temporary? How does Matthew
27:4, supplemented by The Desire of Ages statement in Friday’s
Further Study, help to answer that objection?
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A Middle East Hope Channel host
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103
Finding Hope, Finding Jesus
Amir Ghali, director of the Al-Waad Media Center in the Middle
East, is delighted to share the following e-mail that he received
from someone who came to love Jesus by listening to Hope
Channel.
“Through its amazing programs, Hope Channel North Africa/
Middle East [N.A.M.E.] has played a major role in comforting me
during my time of mourning. I especially mention the program
entitled Road to Salvation. This particular program has introduced
me to Jesus Christ, His miraculous birth, His holy life, and His
true nature. This program also introduced me to the Holy Spirit. I
didn’t know there was a Holy Spirit before. Now I know that He
is the One who comforted me during my time of distress. I know
that He is with me wherever I go.
“I live among people who don’t believe in Jesus, and my life
may be in danger. If my family learns that I have accepted Jesus
as my Savior, they may kill me. In spite of that, I feel happiness
and peace in my heart. I have found a treasure which I will never
give up. I used to be so afraid before, but now I am not afraid of
anything.
“I now know that Jesus Christ is the door to God the Father. I
now pray in Jesus’ name, and I know that He will hear my prayer.
Not long ago I had a big problem in my life. I prayed in the name
of Jesus, and the problem was solved in an unexpected way. I
believe in Jesus Christ and in His grace for me.
“Thank you for Hope Channel. Without it, I would have been
lost.”
Please pray for Hope Channel,
especially its North Africa/
Middle-East center and the min-
istry it is carrying out to reach the
people in a part of the world that
is difficult to reach. Your mission
offerings are another important
means to support and promote the
work of the Hope Channel around
the world.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
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13
*March 23–29
Creation, Again
sabbath afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study:
Rev. 21:1–5, Gen 3:19,
1 Cor. 15:52–58, Gen. 6:11–13, Isa. 11:6–9, John 14:1–3.
Memory Text:
“But in keeping with his promise we are looking
forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteous-
ness” (2 Peter 3:13, NIV).
I
n 2 Peter 3:10–13, Peter describes the fate of heaven and earth.
Both, along with all that they contain, will be destroyed.
But that’s not the end of the story, not by a long shot, because a
new heaven and a new earth will be created in their stead.
Look at the contrast between the two existences. Sin has dominion
in the old one; righteousness dwells in the new. Death rules in the
old one; life in the new. The contrast couldn’t be more striking or
absolute.
As we can see in these promises, too, God’s role as Creator didn’t
end with the first Creation of the earth. It doesn’t end with the work
that He does in us, to make us new creatures in Christ either. No, it
continues. The same Lord who through the supernatural power of
His Word created the world once will create it again, and with His
supernatural power too.
Indeed, without this last act of creation, all the previous ones would
come to nothing. The new heavens and the new earth are the culmina-
tion of God’s promises to us.
*Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 30.
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Sunday
March 24
A New Beginning
One thing that science and the Bible do have in common is the
belief that this earth, as we know it now, is not going to last for-
ever. For science (at least some versions of it), the same cold and
mindless forces of chance that brought the earth and life on it into
existence are the same cold and mindless forces of chance that are
going to, eventually, destroy it. The Bible, too, teaches that this
earth isn’t going to last forever but will, indeed, be destroyed. In
the scenario that science offers, however, that destruction is the
end of everything forever; in contrast, in the biblical scenario,
it’s the start of something brand new and wonderful and that lasts
forever, as well.
Read
Revelation 21:1–5. What picture of the future is presented
here? What wonderful promises await us? Why is this something
that only God can do for us?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
No question, one of the best promises of our new existence is that
death and suffering will be forever gone. It is clear that God does not
regard these experiences as positive. They were not in the Creation
that God pronounced “very good” (Gen. 1:31). They are alien
intruders; they were never meant to be part of the original Creation,
and they won’t be part of the new one either. Jesus came to destroy
these things, and we will never have to experience them again.
The new creation brings a new beginning. This wretched experi-
ment with sin will be over. The results are in, and they are clear: sin
brings death and suffering, and God’s law is the law of life.
As God created the heavens and the earth in the beginning, He
will create a new heaven and a new earth, and with them we are all
offered a new beginning. Only God, only the Creator, could do this
for us. And it all comes to us through the work of Jesus in our behalf.
Without the plan of salvation, we’d have no hope for anything beyond
that which this life now offers, a pretty dismal thought.
Why are these promises of a new existence so crucial to us?
What would our faith be without them?
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Monday
March 25
From Dust to Life
Read
Genesis 2:7 and 3:19. From what was Adam made, and what
was the result of his sin?
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________________________________________________________
God created Adam from the dust, and he became a living being.
As long as he maintained his relationship with God, his life would
continue. When Adam sinned, he became separated from the Source
of life. As a result, he died and returned to dust.
Read
Isaiah 26:19 and Daniel 12:2. What will happen to those who
sleep in the dust?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
The promise of the resurrection provides hope for the Christian.
Job expressed this hope, saying, “And after my skin is destroyed, this
I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:26, NKJV). For the
faithful, death is only temporary. The God who formed Adam from
the dust and breathed life into him has not forgotten how to create
humans from dust. The resurrection will be an act of creation just as
much as was the original creation of Adam.
Read
1 Corinthians 15:52–58. What is taught here that is so inextri-
cably linked to the Genesis Creation account?
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________________________________________________________
The resurrection of the righteous at the second coming of Jesus is going
to happen instantaneously. As with the first creation of humankind, it
will be a supernatural event in which God does everything. All this is in
blatant contradiction to theistic evolution. After all, if God isn’t going to
use millions of years of evolution to re-create us, but does so in an instant,
then He certainly could have created us without evolution in the first
round. Thus, as with everything else in the Bible, the hope of the resur-
rection is more biblical evidence that refutes theistic evolution.
What should it tell us about the limits of science that, regarding
something as crucial and fundamental as the resurrection, sci-
ence offers us little light?
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Tuesday
March 26
Restoration of Human Dominion
Compare
Genesis 1:28 with John 12:31. What was the status of
Adam and Eve in the newly created world? Who seized power
and became the ruler of this world?
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________________________________________________________
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Adam was given the responsibility to be ruler of the world. When
he sinned, Adam’s dominion was compromised. Satan now exercised
his power in the creation, causing the corruption and violence that we
see everywhere.
After the Cross, however, Jesus won back the earth from Satan’s
dominion (see Matt. 28:18, Rev. 12:10, John 12:31). And even though
Satan is still allowed to operate on the earth and do damage, we can
rejoice in the knowledge that Satan’s days are numbered: Christ’s vic-
tory on the cross guarantees that.
Read
2 Timothy 2:11, 12 and Revelation 5:10. What truths can we
glean from these texts? See also 1 Cor. 6:2, 3.
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
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Those who are saved will be given authority as kings and priests.
The idea of kingship implies some kind of authority; the idea of
priests carries with it the implication of acting in communication
between God and other creatures, perhaps even with those from other
created worlds, those who have never known the experience of sin
and the woe that it brings.
“All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of
God’s redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tire-
less flight to worlds afar—worlds that thrilled with sorrow at
the spectacle of human woe and rang with songs of gladness at
the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable delight the
children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen
beings.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 677. What
do you think it means to “enter into the joy and the wisdom of
unfallen beings”? What could we learn from unfallen beings?
And they from us?
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Wednesday
March 27
More Restoration
In the world that we know, predation is a common way of life
among the animals. The term “food chain” is a familiar reminder of
the importance of predation in our ecology, and we have difficulty
imagining a world without it. But in the beginning, all land crea-
tures ate green plants (Gen. 1:30). No animals fed on other animals.
Genesis 1:30 does not mention the food of the sea creatures, but the
same principles would likely apply, so that God could review the
entire Creation and declare it “very good.”
Read
Genesis 6:11–13, 9:2–4. By the time of the Flood, what changes
had occurred in nature? What further deterioration occurred in
the relationship between humankind and beast after the Flood?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
What had started as a peaceful kingdom had become filled with
corruption, violence, and evil. These are the results of sin. The world
that once was “very good” had become so bad that it called for its
own destruction.
After the Flood, the animals became afraid of humans. This
included the creatures of land, air, and sea. This is obviously in con-
trast to the previous situation. It appears that the dominion of humans
over the animals was reduced at this time.
Read
Isaiah 65:25, 11:6–9. How are the relationships among the
creatures in our present world different from those promised by
God in the future?
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________________________________________________________
Through the beauty of this poetic language, Isaiah shows us that there
will be no violence in the new world. Corruption and violence, those
characteristics of the pre-Flood world that called for their destruction,
will both be absent from the new one. It will be a world of harmony and
cooperation, a peaceable kingdom. We are so used to violence, preda-
tion, and death that it’s hard for us to imagine anything else.
As we can see, the gospel is so much about restoration. Though,
of course, God alone can do the final restoration, what choices
can we make that can help to bring about some needed restora-
tion now?
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Thursday
March 28
The Restoration of Relationship
With God
“Before the entrance of sin, Adam enjoyed open commu-
nion with his Maker.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy,
p. 7. After the Fall, however, that close relationship was radically
altered in many ways.
Read
Genesis 3:24, Exodus 33:20, and Deuteronomy 5:24–26. What
did sin do to the close relationship that existed between humanity
and God?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Sin had broken the relationship between God and humanity. God
sent the couple away from His presence for their own protection.
Humans could no longer see God’s face and live.
The Lord, though, of His own initiative, brought in the plan of sal-
vation, through which the broken relationship could be healed, even
at a terrible cost to Himself.
Read
John 14:1–3 and Revelation 22:3–5. What promise did Jesus
extend to His disciples just before He went to the cross, and what
will be the result?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
God and humanity are to be reunited, at peace, and meeting face to
face. The earth will be without any curse, and all that has been lost
will be restored. The redeemed will be given a new environment, a
new life, a new dominion, a new peace with the rest of the creation,
and a new relationship with God. The original purpose behind the cre-
ation of humans will now be fulfilled. God, the human race, and the
creation will be in harmony, and that harmony will last forever.
Even now, before the re-creation of heaven and earth, how can
we learn to enjoy a close communion with God? What choices
do we make that affect our relationship with God, either in
positive or negative ways?
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friday
March 29
Further Study:
“And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring
richer and still more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As
knowledge is progressive, so will love, reverence, and happiness
increase. The more men learn of God, the greater will be their admi-
ration of His character. As Jesus opens before them the riches of
redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy
with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devo-
tion, and with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and
ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands of voices
unite to swell the mighty chorus of praise. . . .
“The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The
entire universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats
through the vast creation. From Him who created all, flow life and
light and gladness, throughout the realms of illimitable space. From
the minutest atom to the greatest world, all things, animate and inani-
mate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy, declare that God is
love.”—Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 678.
Discussion Questions:
l Gather as many texts as you can (especially from the book of
Revelation) that talk about what the restored earth will be like.
Discuss in class what these texts are saying. What aspects of the
restored earth do you find the most appealing? What aspects are
hardest to understand?
l How is the doctrine of Creation as revealed in Genesis 1 and
2 related to the doctrine of the re-creation of the heavens and
the earth? How are we supposed to understand this re-creation
if theistic evolution were true?
l Read Romans 8:18 and 2 Corinthians 4:16, 17. What is Paul
saying here, and how can we draw comfort from these words for
ourselves?
l Dwell more on this whole concept of the gospel as “restora-
tion.” What does the word imply? What is restored? How is it
restored? And what role do we have, if any, in the whole pro-
cess?
l What does the promise of a new heaven and a new earth
reveal to us about the character of God?
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God and the Devil Worshiper
Benjamin Sam was a Global Mission pioneer in a primitive highlands
region on the island of Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands. While visiting
the ailing village chief, he faced down soldiers with guns pointed at his
head and prayed for healing for the chief. God helped him to raise up a
small congregation in the highland village, and today a school and a small
church stand as testimonies of God’s power to change hearts.
Benjamin transferred to a region on the southern plains of the island.
There he visited the people and found many who wanted to know more
about Jesus. He held two weeks of evangelistic meetings in the village.
On the first night of the meetings a devil priest named Bem and his wife
entered the meeting area and sat down. The next night they returned, but
that night the devil whom Bem worshiped became angry and wouldn’t let
Bem sleep. Bem’s joints swelled and became painful, and the devil told
him, “I will kill you if you leave me.” Bem became fearful and cried out,
“I’m going to die!” Then he told his startled wife that the devil was attack-
ing him and had threatened to kill him.
Early the next morning Bem’s wife came to tell Benjamin what her
husband had said the night before. Benjamin visited Bem’s home and told
him that the devil was a defeated enemy of God, and Bem didn’t have to
fear his power. Benjamin told Bem and his wife that Jesus had cast out
many demons during his lifetime. “Jesus even raised a dead child and a
dead man,” he said, referring to Jairus’s daughter and Lazarus. Bem and
his wife listened in awed silence.
Benjamin invited the couple to kneel with him while he asked Jesus to
cast out the demon from Bem’s life. Benjamin prayed for Bem and his
family. When Benjamin ended his prayer, Bem told Benjamin that the
devil had left him.
Following the evangelistic meetings Bem and his wife asked to be bap-
tized. At the baptismal service, Bem shared how Jesus had cast out the
demons he had once worshiped. “Now I am a follower of the true God,
Jesus Christ,” he said.
Bem shares his new faith with those he used to serve as a devil priest.
A small congregation of believers now worships in this village, evidence
of God’s redeeming love.
Our mission offerings help to reach people everywhere who need to
hear God’s message of love and forgiveness.
benJamin sam served as a Global Mission pioneer until he was asked to pastor a congre-
gation near Honiara, the capital city of the Solomon Islands.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Web site: www.AdventistMission.org
2013
112
Bible Study Guide for the Second Quarter
Although the 12 books that end the Old Testament are referred to as
the “Minor Prophets,” their message is a powerful one. Over and over
again in these books, the Lord pleads with His people to repent, to put
away their sins, to return to Him to find life, not death, to find salva-
tion, not damnation, to find hope and not despair. The second quarter
lesson study entitled “Seek the Lord and Live!”: Major Lessons From
Minor Prophets by Zdravko Stefanovic will explore this powerful
message of God’s grace toward undeserving sinners. There is nothing
“minor” about the messages in these books. The message contained in
them is present truth, God’s message to us today just as it was to those
who lived in the time of these prophets who, though long gone, still
speak. Our response should be to heed these valuable lessons.
Lesson 1
—Spiritual Adultery (Hosea)
The Week at a Glance:
sunday: A Strange Command (Hosea 1:2, 3, NIV)
monday: Spiritual Adultery (Hosea 2:8–13)
Tuesday: A Promise of Restoration (Hosea 2; Hosea 3:1, 2)
wednesday: The Case Against Israel (Hosea 4:1–3)
THursday: A Call to repentance (Hosea 4:6)
Memory Text—
Hosea 2:23, NIV
Sabbath Gem:
Even amid spiritual adultery and divine judg-
ment, God’s love for His people never wavered.
Lesson 2
—Love and Judgment: God’s Dilemma (Hosea)
The Week at a Glance:
sunday: Easily Deceived and Senseless (Hosea 7:11, 12, NIV)
monday: A Trained Heifer (Hosea 10:11–13)
Tuesday: A Toddling Son (Hosea 11:1, 3, NKJV)
wednesday: Compassion Stronger Than Anger (Hosea 11:8, 9,
NASB)
THursday: Healed, Loved, and Nurtured (Hosea 14)
Memory Text—
Hosea 12:6, NIV
Sabbath Gem:
Hosea reveals more of God’s love for His way-
ward people.
Lessons for the Visually Impaired
The regular Adult Sabbath School
Bible Study Guide is available free each month in braille and on audiocassette to
sight-impaired and physically handicapped persons who cannot read normal ink
print. This includes individuals who, because of arthritis, multiple sclerosis, paralysis,
accident, and so forth, cannot hold or focus on normal ink-print publications. Contact
Christian Record Services, Box 6097, Lincoln, NE 68506-0097.